hygienic

[ hahy-jee-en-ik, hahy-jen-, -jee-nik ]

adjective

1. conducive to good health; healthful; sanitary.
2. of or relating to hygiene.

hygienic

/ haɪˈdʒiːnɪk /

adjective

1. promoting health or cleanliness; sanitary

Derived Forms

• hyˈgienically, adverb

Other Words From

• hygi·eni·cal·ly adverb
• anti·hygi·enic adjective
• anti·hygi·eni·cal·ly adverb
• nonhy·gi·enic adjective
• unhy·gi·enic adjective
• unhy·gi·eni·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hygienic¹

First recorded in 1825–35; hygiene + -ic

Synonym Study

See sanitary.

Example Sentences

The complaint further alleges that the contestants “were fed sporadically and sparsely” and “not given adequate access to hygienic products or medical care.”

From Los Angeles Times

Maintaining hygienic conditions across Bujumbura is also hard as access to basic resources like water is limited in the city.

From BBC

Students described being thrown to the ground by officers, hands zip-tied behind their backs and prevented from attending to hygienic needs for hours during the police takedown of the encampment at UC Santa Cruz.

From Los Angeles Times

It's also worth noting that soaking poultry in a brine of water and vinegar or citrus juice does not make it more hygienic.

From Salon

Doctors provided care and Hamas ensured conditions were hygienic, she said.

From Reuters

Related Words

• healthful
• sterile
• wholesome

More About Hygienic

What does hygienic mean?

Hygienic is commonly used to mean clean and sanitary.

It can also mean promoting good health or related to or involving hygiene—a collection of practices to promote and preserve health, or a condition involving the use of such practices.

In the 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.

Example: Hygienic practices like washing your hands are the easiest ways to avoid illness.

Where does hygienic come from?

The first records of the word hygienic come from around 1830. Its base word, hygiene, ultimately comes from the Greek hygiḗ(s), meaning “healthy.” The suffix -ic is used to form adjectives.

Describing a practice as hygienic typically means it promotes cleanliness, health, or both. 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 hygienic practices work best when they’re done regularly.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to hygienic?

• hygienically (adverb)
• hygienical (adjective)
• hygiene (noun)

What are some synonyms for hygienic?

• sanitary
• healthful
• hygienics (in the sense of the science)

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

• hygienics
• hygienist

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

• practices
• clean
• cleanliness
• health
• healthy
• routine
• regimen
• wash

How is hygienic used in real life?

Hygienic is commonly used in the context of personal hygiene.

Help prevent the spread of #COVID19 & other infectious diseases in your community. It is very important to wash your hand frequently with soap under running water.

Let's all #TakeResponsibiliy by ensuring hygienic practices to keep ourselves and loved ones safe & healthy pic.twitter.com/VwmYxfjv9C

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) July 11, 2020

Our tradition of greeting without touching 🙏🏼 is fantastic & hygienic. Shaking hands, without knowing where that hand has been-Not good 😀

— Arshad Warsi (@ArshadWarsi) September 20, 2016

Notice how Jackson switches the tips of his chopsticks?
There were no serving utensils so he used the brown side when he took food from the table and used the wooden side when he eats so it's more hygienic 🥺 pic.twitter.com/BNydpbvjhs

— 大丈夫 (@gayeewang) July 28, 2020

 

 

Try using hygienic!

Which of the following actions could be considered hygienic?

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