healthy

[ hel-thee ]

adjective

, health·i·er, health·i·est.

1. possessing or enjoying good health or a sound and vigorous mentality:

   a healthy body;

   a healthy mind.

   Synonyms: robust, hearty, hale

   Antonyms: sick

2. pertaining to or characteristic of good health or a sound and vigorous mind:

   a healthy appearance;

   healthy attitudes.

3. conducive to good health; healthful:

   healthy recreations.

   Synonyms: nourishing, nutritious

4. eligible for the Food and Drug Administration's label certifying that a food is suitable for helping consumers achieve a total diet that conforms to dietary recommendations.
5. prosperous or sound:

   a healthy business.

6. Informal. fairly large:

   I bought a healthy number of books.

healthy

/ ˈhɛlθɪ /

adjective

1. enjoying good health
2. functioning well or being sound

   the company's finances are not very healthy

3. conducive to health; salutary
4. indicating soundness of body or mind

   a healthy appetite

5. informal.
   considerable in size or amount

   a healthy sum

Derived Forms

• ˈhealthiness, noun
• ˈhealthily, adverb

Other Words From

• health·i·ly adverb
• health·i·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of healthy¹

First recorded in 1545–55; health + -y ¹

Synonym Study

Healthy, healthful, salubrious, salutary, wholesome refer to the promotion of health. Healthy, while applied especially to what possesses health, is also applicable to what is conducive to health: a healthy climate; not a healthy place to be. Healthful and salubrious are applied chiefly to what is conducive to health: healthful diet or exercise; a salubrious impact on mental outlook. Salutary suggests something that is conducive to well-being generally, as well as beneficial in preserving or in restoring health: salutary effects; to take salutary measures. It is used also to indicate moral benefit: to have a salutary fear of devious behavior. Wholesome has connotations of attractive freshness and purity; it applies to what is good for one, physically, morally, or both: wholesome food; wholesome influences or advice.

Example Sentences

External validation didn't silence the voices in his head - but it gave him a healthy dose of perspective.

From BBC

She is one of many in the Republic of Ireland who say they are not feeling the benefits of the country's considerably healthy bank balance.

From BBC

"Oligodendrocytes are a type of brain cell that help to maintain specific connections between brain areas by helping the connecting circuitry to stay healthy and strong."

From Science Daily

And many people just assume it's healthy to drink plenty of water.

From Science Daily

They used single-molecule tracking and other methods to measure how each of those proteins moves in healthy cells and in cells in disease states.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• active
• athletic
• fresh
• healthful
• hearty
• lively
• normal
• robust
• strong
• tough
• vigorous