1. the practice or skill of using leeches for medical treatment, especially bloodletting
Usage: archaic; historical medical practice
2. medical knowledge or skill in general; the art of healing
Usage: archaic; rare

Examples

• Medieval physicians relied heavily on leechcraft to treat fevers and inflammation.
• The barber-surgeon's leechcraft involved applying leeches to the patient's skin to draw out excess blood.
• In the 19th century, leechcraft was still practiced despite advances in modern medicine.
• The old healer's knowledge of leechcraft had been passed down through generations.
• Leechcraft was considered a legitimate medical treatment until germ theory revolutionized medicine.