adj.
Pronunciation: ' hel-th ē also ' helt-
Function: adjective
Inflected Form: health · i · er ; -est
Date: 1552
1 : enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit : WELL
2 : evincing health <a healthy complexion>
3 : conducive to health <walk three miles every day ⋯ a beastly bore, but healthy ― G. S. Patton>
4 a : PROSPEROUS , FLOURISHING b : not small or feeble : CONSIDERABLE
– health · i · ly \ -th ə -l ē \ adverb
– health · i · ness \ -th ē -n ə s \ 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>.