HEALTHFUL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does healthful mean? 

• HEALTHFUL (adjective)
  The adjective HEALTHFUL has 2 senses:

1. conducive to good health of body or mind

2. free from filth and pathogens

  Familiarity information: HEALTHFUL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HEALTHFUL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Conducive to good health of body or mind

Context example:

Dickens's relatively healthful exuberance

Similar:

anthelminthic; anthelmintic; helminthic; parasiticidal (capable of expelling or destroying parasitic worms)

antimicrobial; antimicrobic (capable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of disease-causing microorganisms)

carminative; flatus-relieving (relieving gas in the alimentary tract (colic or flatulence or griping))

cathartic; psychotherapeutic (emotionally purging)

alterative; curative; healing; remedial; sanative; therapeutic (tending to cure or restore to health)

drugless (without the use of drugs)

good; salutary (tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health)

medicative; medicinal (having the properties of medicine)

organic (simple and healthful and close to nature)

orthomolecular (designating or relating to a form of treatment of mental disorders that seeks to restore biochemical balance in the body with large doses of vitamins and minerals)

preventative; preventive; prophylactic (preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease)

recuperative; restorative (promoting recuperation)

Also:

antiseptic (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms)

wholesome (conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being)

Antonym:

unhealthful (detrimental to good health)

Derivation:

healthfulness (the quality of promoting good health)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Free from filth and pathogens

Synonyms:

healthful; sanitary

Context example:

a sanitary washroom

Similar:

hygienic; hygienical (tending to promote or preserve health)

Derivation:

healthfulness (the quality of promoting good health)

 Context examples 

It would involve exercising regularly, refraining from smoking, eating a healthful diet and taking part in activities that stimulate the brain.

(Study: There's No Fail-safe Way to Prevent Dementia, VOA)

Promotion of the use of available health care resources and the adoption of more healthful lifestyles, and attempts to make resources available to underserved populations and to make these populations aware of the resource availability.

(Health Promotion and Care, NCI Thesaurus)

For a time I listened to the clamour in the steerage and marvelled upon the love which had come to me; but my sleep on the Ghost had become most healthful and natural, and soon the songs and cries died away, my eyes closed, and my consciousness sank down into the half-death of slumber.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

So altered—so faded—worn down by acute suffering of every kind! hardly could I believe the melancholy and sickly figure before me, to be the remains of the lovely, blooming, healthful girl, on whom I had once doted.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

As they drove to Mr. Gardiner's door, Jane was at a drawing-room window watching their arrival; when they entered the passage she was there to welcome them, and Elizabeth, looking earnestly in her face, was pleased to see it healthful and lovely as ever.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

While Larson said there was no simple answer to the prevention of dementia, he highly recommended a commonsense, healthful lifestyle that may help delay the disease.

(Study: There's No Fail-safe Way to Prevent Dementia, VOA)