hygiene

American  

[hahy-jeen] / ˈhaɪ dʒin /

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.

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hygiene British  

/ ˈhaɪdʒiːn /

noun

1. Also called: hygienics.  the science concerned with the maintenance of health

2. clean or healthy practices or thinking

   personal hygiene

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Usage

What does hygiene mean? Hygiene is a collection of practices to promote and preserve health, or a condition involving the use of such practices. In its most popular sense, hygiene refers to habitual actions that help you stay physically healthy, such as washing your hands and brushing your teeth. This sense of the word is especially used in phrases like personal hygiene and good hygiene. Personal hygiene is closely associated with cleanliness. Hygiene can also be applied to one’s mental well-being—mental hygiene is the practice of trying to maintain mental health through proactive behavior and treatment. The word hygiene is also used to refer to the science that deals with preserving health—both of individuals and the general public. Another word for this is hygienics. The adjective hygienic can mean related to or involving hygiene, promoting good health, or sanitary. Example: Washing your hands is the easiest way to improve your personal hygiene.

Etymology

Origin of hygiene

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

Explanation

Hygiene is any practice or activity that you do to keep things healthy and clean. Washing hands, coughing into your elbow, and regular house cleaning are all part of good hygiene. Hygieia was the Greek goddess of health, cleanliness and sanitation, so it's not hard to see where the word hygiene comes from. Good oral hygiene includes brushing and flossing your teeth, and working in a clean kitchen helps promote food hygiene. You have a better chance of staying healthy during flu season -and any other time- if you practice good personal hygiene, such as washing your hands frequently.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hygiene

The move to sell Reckitt’s hygiene business comes after changes made last year to the EU’s sanctions package on businesses operating in Russia hit locally produced germ protection and cleaning products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

About 32% of recent home buyers said that they had already cut spending on necessities including food, clothing, healthcare and hygiene to afford their mortgage payment.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

They work to tackle hygiene poverty, helping people in 100 of the most deprived parts of the UK to have access to products such as shampoo, washing powder and toothpaste.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

In industrialized countries, however, they have become far less common because of improved hygiene and modern medicine.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026

Everyone in this village knows more about hygiene than we do, we have lately discovered.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• sanitation