health

American  

[helth] / hɛlθ /

noun

health plural

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

Derived Forms

• subhealth
  noun
• healthward
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• health
  plural

Etymology

Origin of health

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

Explanation

Your health is the condition of your body. If you barely get any sleep and only eat frozen pizza and jellybeans, you probably have poor health. Health comes from the old English word for "whole," and you can think of it as the state of your whole being — both body and mind. We use health to talk about bodies and people, but also to talk about whole systems. If you lost your job, you might be worried about the health of your finances. If a bad manager provokes employees to be unproductive, investors might be worried about the health of a business.

Example Sentences

“Most consumers do not know they must ‘health qualify’ for long-term care insurance,” the association says.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 9, 2025

"Protein is enjoying a bit of a 'health halo' at the moment."

From BBC • May 11, 2025

"Inviting Taiwan as an observer would exemplify the WHO’s commitment to an inclusive, 'health for all' approach to international health cooperation," Blinken said in a statement.

From Reuters • May 10, 2023

"We agree with Wingate," the justices wrote, "that it was acting as a 'health care provider' and providing 'health care' when Jacob was hiking and rock climbing."

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2023

We have already seen and wondered at his gigantic scheme for poor-law reform, published in the beginning of this year of fast declining 'health and life.'

From Henry Fielding: a Memoir by Godden, G. M.

Related Words

• energy
• fitness
• strength
• well-being