hygiene

[ hahy-jeen ]

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.

hygiene

/ ˈhaɪdʒiːn /

noun

1. Also calledhygienics the science concerned with the maintenance of health
2. clean or healthy practices or thinking

   personal hygiene

Word History and Origins

Origin of hygiene¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hygiene¹

C18: from New Latin hygiēna, from Greek hugieinē, from hugiēs healthy

Example Sentences

This is a broad category consisting of lack of healthy food, clothing, hygiene, shelter, supervision, or medical care — in other words, the impact of poverty.

From Salon

“Our home is gone. We have no hygiene, we cannot wash. We have nothing.”

From BBC

After the commissioned research which took more than 10 years, Sir Brian said he believes that improving farm hygiene could help to provide a solution to the problem of bTB.

From BBC

Dentists also have concerns about what pouches mean for oral hygiene.

From Los Angeles Times

In the West Bank, it said "water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure" have been damaged by "ongoing violence".

From BBC

Related Words

• sanitation

More About Hygiene

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.

Where does hygiene come from?

The first records of the word hygiene come from the late 1500s. It ultimately comes from the Greek hygiḗ(s), meaning “healthy.” The suffix -ine means “pertaining to.”

Hygiene pertains to healthiness in all of its forms. Physical hygiene begins with cleanliness, and mental hygiene can also be thought of the range of methods for keeping your mind clean. Hygiene is often used in phrases like hygiene routine or hygiene regimen, both of which refer to the fact that such practices work best when they’re done regularly.

As a science, hygiene involves the study of methods for maintaining health and cleanliness on a large scale.

Hygiene can also be used figuratively, such as in phrases like cyber hygiene and internet hygiene—referring to the practice of protecting internet-connected devices from viruses (like how good physical hygiene protects from you from actual viruses).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to hygiene?

• hygienic (adjective)

What are some synonyms for hygiene?

• cleanliness
• hygienics (in the sense of the science)

What are some words that share a root or word element with hygiene? 

• hygienics
• hygienist

What are some words that often get used in discussing hygiene?

• personal
• good
• bad
• poor
• routine
• regimen
• sanitary
• practices
• health
• healthy
• clean
• wash

How is hygiene used in real life?

Hygiene is most commonly discussed in the context of personal hygiene, but it’s other senses are also commonly used.

Hygiene is important.. Wake up & Wash up ❗️

— Fivio Foreign (@FivioForeign) January 17, 2020

Take care of yourself. Eat right. Your health is important. Hygiene is crucial. Your health (mental/physical) is your greatest investment.

— Skye Townsend (@SkyeTownsend) April 5, 2017

Scientists warn that constant fear and anger are bad for our health, while being compassionate and warm-hearted contributes to our physical and mental well-being. Therefore, just as we observe physical hygiene to stay well, we need to cultivate a kind of emotional hygiene too.

— Dalai Lama (@DalaiLama) May 4, 2018

 

 

Try using hygiene!

Which of the following actions is an example of good hygiene?

A. brushing your teeth
B. washing your hands
C. practicing mindfulness
D. all of the above