health

American  

[helth] / hɛlθ /

noun

1. the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor.

   good health;

   poor health.

2. soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment.

   to have one's health;

   to lose one's health.

   Synonyms:

   stamina , fitness , strength , vitality , vigor

3. a polite or complimentary wish for a person's health, happiness, etc., especially as a toast.

   We drank a health to our guest of honor.

4. vigor; vitality.

   economic health.

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health British  

/ hɛlθ /

noun

1. the state of being bodily and mentally vigorous and free from disease

2. the general condition of body and mind

   in poor health

3. the condition of any unit, society, etc

   the economic health of a nation

4. a toast to a person, wishing him or her good health, happiness, etc

5. (modifier) of or relating to food or other goods reputed to be beneficial to the health

   health food

   a health store

6. (modifier) of or relating to health, esp to the administration of health

   a health committee

   health resort

   health service

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interjection

1. an exclamation wishing someone good health as part of a toast (in the phrases your health, good health, etc)

health Idioms  

1. see clean bill of health.

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Other Word Forms

• healthward adjective
• subhealth noun

Etymology

Origin of health

First recorded before 1000; Middle English helthe, Old English hǣlth; hale ¹, whole, -th ¹

Example Sentences

Mark Sculpher, professor of health economics at the University of York, said there is no logical link between the prices the NHS pays to pharmaceutical companies and their decisions to locate manufacturing in the U.K.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cognitive abilities expand rapidly at this age, but the risk of developing certain mental health conditions also becomes higher.

From Science Daily

This action is separate from her ongoing case with the health board and Dr Beth Upton, whom she took to an employment tribunal.

From BBC

It meant the NHS "will be able to approve medicines that deliver significant health improvements but might have previously  been declined  purely on cost-effectiveness grounds."

From Barron's

Simply put, whether due to misjudging the country’s mood or the increasingly obvious effects of poor health and aging, the president has been off his game.

From Salon

Related Words

• energy
• fitness
• strength
• well-being