- Main Entry:
- healthy

- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈhel-thē also ˈhelt-\
- Function:
- adjective
- Inflected Form(s):
- health·i·er; health·i·est
- Date:
- 1552
—
health·i·ly
\-thə-lē\ adverb
—
health·i·ness
\-thē-nəs\ noun
synonyms healthy,
sound,
wholesome,
robust,
hale,
well mean enjoying or indicative of good health.
healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease
<a healthy family>.
sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction
<a sound heart>.
wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance
<a face with a wholesome glow>.
robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly
<a lively, robust little boy>.
hale applies particularly to robustness in old age
<still hale at the age of eighty>.
well implies merely freedom from disease or illness
<she has never been a well person>.