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

"Functional coffees are shifting from niche wellness corners into the mainstream," says Ms Brecher, who herself drinks mushroom coffee.

Read more on BBC

In contrast, many Asian communities are rooted in collectivist cultures, where identity and wellness are deeply intertwined with family and group harmony.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At $450 a month with a $500 initiation fee, Hume is pricier than Equinox, but it’s also something new: a private wellness club built for the era of self-optimization and sober curiosity.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She situates the rise of OneTaste in the context of the wellness and self-help industries, “lean-in” feminism and the start-up culture of Silicon Valley, and she pays homage to its founding ideals.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

One family of about 10 people did that a few months ago, she said, turning the 15,000-square-foot center into their own wellness playground, at a cost of $150,000.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal