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; 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

The Red Cross warned that Ebola can escalate quickly if cases are not identified early, communities lack information and health systems are overwhelmed, adding that "we are seeing all those conditions" in the current outbreak.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

“If he is successful as mayor and tries to obtain greater resources for mental health, it could work and it could be a good thing,” Webb said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

The WHO has declared the surge of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever an international health emergency and will hold an emergency meeting on the crisis on Tuesday.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

But behind this is the industrial health of China — in that any sign of flagging activity in the country’s industrial segment could reverse the scarcity sentiment.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

As president he envisioned what he called his Great Society—an ambitious set of programs including civil rights legislation and expanded access to quality education and health care.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• energy
• fitness
• strength
• well-being