wellness
Americannoun
-
the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.
-
an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.
noun
Etymology
Origin of wellness
First recorded in 1650–60, for an earlier sense; introduced in 1957 by U.S. biostatistician Halbert L. Dunn, M.D. (1896–1975), for the current senses; well 1 (in the sense “in good health”) + -ness
Compare meaning
How does wellness compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Wellness is the opposite of illness. When you're healthy and not suffering from any diseases, you're enjoying a state of wellness. It might seem like the phrase "health and wellness" is a little repetitive, but the two terms have increasingly distinct meanings. Since the middle of the 20th century, wellness has become the popular term, especially in alternative medicine, to describe health that includes a balance of body, mind, and spirit.
Vocabulary lists containing wellness
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The Suffix -ness, Part 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This paper overall is scientifically flawed,” says Michael Rosenbloom, a senior neurologist at the University of Washington’s Medicine Memory and Brain Wellness Center.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026
"I've got my group of friends now and an amazing community in Yarm who I mostly met through the Wellness centre," she said.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Four of the eight co-authors are employees of a company called Million Marker Wellness, Inc., which sells at-home plastic exposure testing kits for $399 each “as seen on Netflix’s The Plastic Detox.”
From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026
Wellness brands are fueling a growing demand for male-fertility products, selling supplements and sperm-testing kits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
There was an on-site Wellness Center with counseling, health, and academic support services.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
