Definition

1. Noun:
   • The science concerned with the prevention of illness and maintenance of health: "Hygiene" refers to the branch of knowledge and practices that aim to preserve health and prevent the spread of disease.
   • A condition promoting sanitary practices: "Hygiene" can also describe the state or conditions that support cleanliness and health.
   • Personal cleanliness: Often used to refer to the practices of maintaining cleanliness of one's own body.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Public health campaigns often focus on the importance of hygiene. (Public health campaigns often focus on the importance of hygiene.)
  • The restaurant was closed due to poor kitchen hygiene. (The restaurant was closed due to poor kitchen hygiene.)
  • Good personal hygiene includes regular handwashing. (Good personal hygiene includes regular handwashing.)

Advanced Usage

• "Mental hygiene": the principles and practices aimed at maintaining and improving mental health.

  • The school program includes lessons on mental hygiene. (The school program includes lessons on mental hygiene.)

• "Industrial hygiene": the science of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling workplace conditions that may cause illness.

  • His job in industrial hygiene involves monitoring factory air quality. (His job in industrial hygiene involves monitoring factory air quality.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hygienic (adj): promoting health and cleanliness; sanitary.

  • It is important to keep the wound in a hygienic environment. (It is important to keep the wound in a hygienic environment.)

• Hygienist (n): a specialist in hygiene, especially a dental hygienist.

  • The dental hygienist cleaned my teeth. (The dental hygienist cleaned my teeth.)

Synonyms

• Sanitation: the development and application of sanitary measures for public health.
• Cleanliness: the state or quality of being clean.

Related Phrases

• Oral hygiene: the practice of keeping the mouth, teeth, and gums clean to prevent disease.

  • Brushing and flossing are essential for good oral hygiene. (Brushing and flossing are essential for good oral hygiene.)

• Food hygiene: the conditions and measures necessary to ensure food safety from production to consumption.

  • All staff must be trained in food hygiene. (All staff must be trained in food hygiene.)

Related Idioms

• To pay attention to hygiene: to be careful about cleanliness and health practices.
  • In a hospital, it is critical to pay attention to hygiene. (In a hospital, it is critical to pay attention to hygiene.)

Noun

1. the science concerned with the prevention of illness and maintenance of health
2. a condition promoting sanitary practices
   • personal hygiene