hygiene

[ hahy-jeen ]

noun

1. Also the science that deals with the preservation of health.
2. a condition or practice conducive to the preservation of health, as cleanliness:

   Poor personal hygiene can lead to health issues such as skin infections.

   Mental hygiene in children should be constantly monitored by parents and teachers.

3. a beneficial or recommended practice or set of practices (used in combination):

   Using the same password on all of your important accounts is simply not good password hygiene.

hygiene

/ ˈhaɪdʒiːn /

noun

1. Also calledhygienics the science concerned with the maintenance of health
2. clean or healthy practices or thinking

   personal hygiene

Word History and Origins

Origin of hygiene¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from French hygiène, from New Latin hygieina, from Greek hygieinḕ (téchnē) “healthful (art),” feminine of hygieinós “healthful,” equivalent to hygiḗ(s) “healthy” + -inos -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of hygiene¹

C18: from New Latin hygiēna, from Greek hugieinē, from hugiēs healthy

Example Sentences

Prisoners are given uniforms, towels and basic hygiene kits upon intake, but forced to purchase just about everything else.

From The Daily Beast

It became something both for the hygiene of the couch and the patient.

From The Daily Beast

She opens them to show diapers, baby food, hygiene products, and clothing.

From The Daily Beast

The app supports multiple users on any one profile so families can monitor all of their important oral hygiene info in one place.

From The Daily Beast

In countries with rampant poverty, disposable hygiene products are a luxury.

From The Daily Beast

Incidental features of sex hygiene will arise naturally from physical education and can be adequately treated there.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1764 he published Economical and Medical Observations, which contained suggestions for improving the hygiene of army hospitals.

From Project Gutenberg

Neither physiology nor hygiene can be of much value in the schools, as a study, unless there is an application of what is taught.

From Project Gutenberg

We're not a couple of boarding-school misses fresh from a course of hygiene lectures.

From Project Gutenberg

Attention to proper feeding and hygiene is of first importance.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• sanitation