healthy

adjective

HEL-thee/ˈhɛlθi/

5 meanings of healthy

1
welladjective
Strong and well and not sick, or looking that way.
Like a plant with green leaves and strong roots: full of life.
After weeks of rest, she felt healthy again.
The children at the camp were happy and healthy.
2
adjective
Good for your body and helping you stay well.
Like sunlight and water that help a plant grow strong.
Eating healthy meals every day gives you more energy.
Walking to school is a healthy habit for the whole family.
UsageTo say how you do something, use healthily: eat healthily.
Similarwholesome, nourishing, healthful
Oppositeunhealthy
3
working welladjective
Strong and working well, used about things like a business, an economy, or a relationship.
After a hard year, the family business is healthy again.
Talking openly helps keep a relationship healthy.
Similarstrong, robust, sound, thriving, flourishing
Oppositeweak, ailing, troubled
4
sensibleadjective
Of a feeling or a way of thinking: normal and sensible to have.
It's healthy to feel a little nervous before a big test.
He has a healthy fear of big dogs after being bitten once.
UsageOften a healthy respect for something or a healthy fear of something.
Similarsensible, reasonable, proper
Oppositeunhealthy, morbid
5
sizableadjectivefiguratively
Large and good in amount or size.
Like a plate piled high with more than enough food.
She made a healthy profit when she sold the house.
Our team won the match by a healthy margin.
UsageUsed before amount words: a healthy profit, a healthy margin.
Similarsubstantial, sizable, considerable, generous, handsome
Oppositemeager, paltry, modest, small

Practice

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Origin

It comes from the word "health" plus the ending "-y".

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Healthy comes from health plus the ending -y. en.wiktionary.org