insalubrious

adjective

in·​sa·​lu·​bri·​ous ˌin-sə-ˈlü-brē-əs How to pronounce insalubrious (audio)
: not conducive to health : unwholesome
an insalubrious climate
insalubrity noun

Examples of insalubrious in a Sentence

after inhaling the insalubrious city smog for a month, I was happy to once again breathe in the fresh air of the country
Recent Examples on the Web Two figures, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary who has blown hot and cold over whether children can go back to school, and Robert Jenrick, the local-government minister, who is entangled in a scandal with an insalubrious party donor, look particularly dismal. The Economist, 20 June 2020 The refuse rising in insalubrious piles, some taller than the pedestrians trying to avoid them, is a smelly, visceral symbol of popular outrage at the government’s plan. Catherine Porter, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023 Many of the area's most insalubrious haunts are long gone, and in their place mostly restaurants, which come and go. Tom Page, CNN, 30 Jan. 2023 Exercise enjoys a health halo, justifying, for some of us, insalubrious habits. Gretchen Reynolds, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Jan. 2023 In letters sent to the regional authorities in the early 1950s and seen by The New York Times, the nuns warned about a lack of food, and the insalubrious dormitory and canteen. New York Times, 3 Nov. 2021 On the site of an important 19th-century water mill, in a somewhat insalubrious part of town, is a modest looking Mosque with a beautiful new artwork. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insalubrious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin insalubris, from in- + salubris healthful — more at safe

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insalubrious was in 1615

Dictionary Entries Near insalubrious

Cite this Entry

“Insalubrious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insalubrious. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

insalubrious

adjective
in·​sa·​lu·​bri·​ous ˌin(t)-sə-ˈlü-brē-əs How to pronounce insalubrious (audio)
: not conducive to health : not wholesome
an insalubrious climate
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