wellness

[wel-nis]

noun

1. the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort.

2. an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.

wellness

/ ˈwɛlnəs /

noun

1. the state of being in good physical and mental health

Word History and Origins

Origin of wellness¹

First recorded in 1650–60, for an earlier sense; introduced in 1957 by U.S. biostatistician Halbert L. Dunn, M.D. (1896–1975), for the current senses; well ¹ (in the sense “in good health”) + -ness

Example Sentences

Williams had also established the first housing complex in the U.S. for Black women living with HIV and their children and started a holistic wellness clinic for members of the city’s Black and brown communities.

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She had been living for years with undiagnosed endometriosis and adenomyosis, so injections to put her into menopause felt like "a liberation" from symptoms, and a chance to reset and focus on her wellness.

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It includes an evaluation taking in family history, lifestyle, and wellness behaviors, and creates a health-risk score ranging from 1 to 100.

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The companies make many claims about helping to deliver wellness.

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“I meet so many nice people,” she says, “like-minded people, wellness lovers.”

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Related Words

• wellbeing