insalubrious

American  

[in-suh-loo-bree-uhs] / ˌɪn səˈlu bri əs /

adjective

1. unfavorable to health; unwholesome.

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insalubrious British  

/ ˌɪnsəˈluːbrɪtɪ, ˌɪnsəˈluːbrɪəs /

adjective

1. not salubrious; unpleasant, unhealthy, or sordid

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Other Word Forms

• insalubriously adverb
• insalubrity noun

Etymology

Origin of insalubrious

1630–40; < Latin insalūbri ( s ) + -ous. See in- ³, salubrious

Explanation

Insalubrious is a formal way to say something is bad for your health. Whether it’s the smog in the city, the atmosphere at your workplace, or a load of coal tar — they all sound insalubrious. The word insalubrious came into English in the 17th century from the Latin word insalubris, a combination of in-, meaning "not," and salubris, meaning "healthful." That makes for a decidedly unhealthy combination, and the word even has a slightly disreputable sound to it, like you’ve been out doing something you shouldn’t be doing. But at the same time it’s slightly formal, in part because it’s somewhat unusual in modern usage. Use it as a fancy way to describe something unhealthy that’s also a little bit common — like Las Vegas or fried chicken.

Example Sentences

The refuse rising in insalubrious piles, some taller than the pedestrians trying to avoid them, is a smelly, visceral symbol of popular outrage at the government’s plan.

From New York Times • Mar. 15, 2023

Beyond being stuck in insalubrious quarters, jailed suspects have less opportunity to assist in their defense than released defendants.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2019

For years he dragged his wife Clarissa and their growing brood from town to town, renting ever more insalubrious houses, pawning their dwindling stock of possessions, and running up debts.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2019

The film’s winding course leads from the station to the dive bars to the insalubrious lobby of the Arcade hotel, where Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’s night clerk keeps a baleful eye on the foreign tourists.

From The Guardian • Jul. 7, 2019

He would have let the house, but could find no tenant, in consequence of its ineligible and insalubrious site.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë