Dictionary
wholesome
adjective whole·some \ˈhōl-səm\
: helping to keep your body healthy : good for your health
: morally good
: suggesting good health or behavior
Full Definition of WHOLESOME
1
: promoting health or well-being of mind or spirit
2
: promoting health of body
3
a : sound in body, mind, or morals b : having the simple health or vigor of normal domesticity
4
a : based on well-grounded fear : prudent <a wholesome respect for the law> b : safe <it wouldn't be wholesome for you to go down there — Mark Twain>
— whole·some·ly adverb
— whole·some·ness noun
See wholesome defined for English-language learners
See wholesome defined for kids
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First Known Use of WHOLESOME
13th century
Related to WHOLESOME
Synonym Discussion of WHOLESOME
healthful, wholesome, salubrious, salutary mean favorable to the health of mind or body. healthful implies a positive contribution to a healthy condition <a healthful diet>. wholesome applies to what benefits, builds up, or sustains physically, mentally, or spiritually <wholesome foods> <the movie is wholesome family entertainment>. salubrious applies chiefly to the helpful effects of climate or air <cool and salubrious weather>. salutary describes something corrective or beneficially effective, even though it may in itself be unpleasant <a salutary warning that resulted in increased production>.
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>.
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>.
Rhymes with WHOLESOME
WHOLESOME Defined for Kids
wholesome
adjective whole·some \ˈhōl-səm\
Definition of WHOLESOME for Kids
1
: helping to improve or keep the body in good condition <wholesome food>
2
: healthy for the mind or morals <wholesome entertainment>
— whole·some·ness noun
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