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
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First Known Use of WHOLESOME

13th century

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>.

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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