це́лостный
célostnyj
The Russian word for holistic, in the sense of looking at the whole rather than its parts, is це́лостный (célostnyj). If unsure, use це́лостный. Wiktionary also lists всесторонний (vsestoronnij) and всеобъе́млющий (vseobʺjémljuščij).
Meaning: relating to an analysis of the whole instead of a separation into parts (adj)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| це́лостный | célostnyj | |
| всесторонний | vsestoronnij | [fsʲɪstɐˈronʲːɪj] (narrow) |
| всеобъе́млющий | vseobʺjémljuščij |
це́лостный describes an analysis, view or approach that treats something as a whole instead of splitting it into separate parts.
What does it mean word for word?
це́лостный comes from the root meaning whole or entire.
Which one should you use?
Use всесторонний (vsestoronnij) when holistic means looking at a problem from all possible angles, rather than the idea of wholeness itself. Use всеобъе́млющий (vseobʺjémljuščij) for something that covers or includes everything within a certain scope, such as a holistic approach to a huge dataset.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is célostnyj, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word всеобъе́млющий contains a root related to 'embracing' or 'encompassing' with its arms, turning a physical gesture into a conceptual term for a holistic scope.
- In Russian, це́лый (the root of це́лостный) can mean 'whole', but it is also the common word for 'intact' or 'unbroken' when talking about an object.
- If you use целостный to describe a person's character, it can imply they are 'integrated' or 'consistent' in their personality, rather than someone who is fragmented or unpredictable.
Examples in context
- Я верю в целостный подход к здоровью.I believe in a holistic approach to health
- Нам нужен це́лостный подход к этой проблеме.Nam nuzhen tselostnyy podkhod k etoy probleme.We need a holistic approach to this problem.
- Его теория предлагает це́лостный взгляд на систему.Yego teoriya predlagayet tselostnyy vzglyad na sistemu.His theory offers a holistic view of the system.
Example conversation
Olga and Sergey are discussing a new business strategy.
- Ольга OlgaСергей, нам нужен це́лостный план развития.Sergey, nam nuzhen tselostnyy plan razvitiya.Sergey, we need a holistic development plan.
- Сергей SergeyЯ согласен, Ольга, детали важны, но важна и общая картина.Ya soglasen, Ol'ga, detali vazhny, no vazhna i obshchaya kartina.I agree, Olga, details are important, but the big picture is also important.
- Ольга OlgaИменно так, мы не можем смотреть на части по отдельности.Imenno tak, my ne mozhem smotret' na chasti po otdel'nosti.Exactly, we cannot look at the parts separately.
- Сергей SergeyЯ подготовлю проект, учитывающий все аспекты.Ya podgotovlyu proyekt, uchityvayushchiy vse aspekty.I will prepare a project that takes all aspects into account.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holistic” translations and entries всесторонний, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
