hygiene

noun hy·giene \ ˈhī-ˌjēn also hī-ˈjēn \

|Updated on: 19 Aug 2018

Examples: hygiene in a Sentence

Definition of hygiene

1 : a science of the establishment and maintenance of health

2 : conditions or practices (as of cleanliness) conducive to health

has poor personal hygiene

Brushing your teeth regularly is an important part of good oral hygiene.

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hygienist

play \hī-ˈjē-nist, ˈhī-ˌjē-, hī-ˈje-\ noun

See hygiene defined for English-language learners

See hygiene defined for kids

Examples of hygiene in a Sentence

Poor sanitation and hygiene caused many of the soldiers to get sick.
He has very poor personal hygiene.
Brushing your teeth regularly is an important part of good dental hygiene.

Recent Examples of hygiene from the Web

The plaintiffs’ lawyers argued during the six-week trial that asbestos fibers mixed with the talc used to make Johnson’s Baby Powder entered the bodies of women who used the product every day for decades for feminine hygiene.

— sara randazzo, WSJ, "J&J Hit With $4.7 Billion Jury Verdict in Baby Powder Suit," 12 July 2018
To avoid becoming infected, people who are living with or caring for someone with mono should practice proper hygiene and wash their hands frequently.

— New York Times, "My Daughter Has Mono. Is the Whole Family at Risk?," 29 June 2018
Swimmers can reduce their risk of being stung by not wearing T-shirts in the water, using sunscreen, practicing good hygiene and taking off wet swimsuits immediately after getting out of the ocean, the department reported.

— michelle ewing, ajc, "Sea lice in Florida? Beachgoers warned about itch-inducing pests," 28 June 2018
Straws became a key part of maintaining good hygiene and public health.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "Disposable America," 21 June 2018
That means consuming healthy foods, getting plenty of sleep, good personal hygiene and drinking more water.

— kirby adams, The Courier-Journal, "You definitely pushed yourself too hard this holiday. So let's cure your holiday skin hangover," 3 Jan. 2018
Yesterday, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $4.69 billion to 22 women who said using the company's talcum powder for feminine hygiene caused ovarian cancer.

— refinery29.com, "Johnson & Johnson Owes $4.69 Billion In Another Ovarian Cancer Case," 13 July 2018
Additional research has focused on the potential connection between talc’s use as a feminine hygiene powder and ovarian cancer.

— elizabeth inglese, Vogue, "Why Johnson & Johnson’s $4.7 Billion Baby Powder Lawsuit Is Important for Women Everywhere," 13 July 2018
Having a doctor that is aware of your family’s particular needs can take a lot of stress out of planning and attending to your dental hygiene.

— karlie brand, sandiegouniontribune.com, "8 reasons you’ll wish this dentist was yours," 11 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hygiene.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of hygiene

French hygiène & New Latin hygieina, from Greek, neuter plural of hygieinos healthful, from hygiēs healthy; akin to Sanskrit su well and to Latin vivus living — more at ¹quick

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1671

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year