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healthful

[helth-fuh l]
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR healthful ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

conducive to health; wholesome or salutary: a healthful diet.
healthy.

RELATED WORDS

healthy, wholesome, holistic, salubrious

Nearby words

  1. health stamp,
  2. health visitor,
  3. health-care proxy,
  4. healthcare,
  5. healthcare proxy,
  6. healthfully,
  7. healthily,
  8. healthism,
  9. healthonism,
  10. healthy

Origin of healthful

First recorded in 1350–1400, healthful is from the Middle English word helthful. See health, -ful
Related formshealth·ful·ly, adverbhealth·ful·ness, nounqua·si-health·ful, adjectivequa·si-health·ful·ly, adverb
Can be confusedhealthful healthy (see synonym study at healthy)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for healthful

British Dictionary definitions for healthful

healthful

adjective

a less common word for healthy (def. 1), healthy (def. 2), healthy (def. 3)
Derived Formshealthfully, adverbhealthfulness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for healthful

healthful

adj.

late 14c., "wholesome, curative, saving," from health + -ful. Related: Healthfully; healthfulness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for healthful

healthful

[hĕlth′fəl]

adj.

Conducive to good health; salutary.
Healthy.
Related formshealth′ful•ness n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.