cleanliness

[ klen-lee-nis ]

noun

1. the quality, state, or habit of being cleanly, or keeping oneself clean and neat:

   personal cleanliness.

2. the quality, state, or habit of being kept clean, as a place or object:

   the cleanliness of the restaurant.

3. the state or quality of being morally pure or upright:

   spiritual cleanliness.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cleanliness¹

First recorded in 1425–75; Middle English clenlynesse, clenlines , cleanly ( def ), -ness ( def )

Example Sentences

The change was made on noise, safety and cleanliness grounds.

From BBC

The ratings are based on factors such as food handling practices, cleanliness of facilities and overall food safety management.

From BBC

For seven years she’s been an activist fighting to clean up the river as a volunteer with Surfrider, a nonprofit that works to preserve ocean access and cleanliness.

From Los Angeles Times

Water sport governing bodies warn that Great Britain will not be able to replicate their Olympic success unless action is taken to improve the cleanliness of Britain's waters.

From BBC

Council-employed teams rate premises on things like cleanliness, pest control and safe storage of food - giving a score between zero in the worst cases and five in the best cases.

From BBC

Related Words

• freshness
• purity
• sanitation