/ ˈhaɪdʒiːn; NAmE / noun
[ U ] the practice of keeping yourself and your living and working areas clean in order to prevent illness and disease :
food hygiene
personal hygiene
In the interests of hygiene, please wash your hands.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: via French from modern Latin hygieina , from Greek hugieinē (tekhnē) (art) of health, from hugiēs healthy.