hygienic

adjective

hy·​gien·​ic ˌhī-ˈjē-nik How to pronounce hygienic (audio) -ˈje- How to pronounce hygienic (audio)
also
-jē-ˈe-nik How to pronounce hygienic (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to hygiene
b
: having or showing good hygiene
hygienic conditions
2
a
: antiseptic sense 2c
sweetly hygienic production … comic in an entirely innocuous wayJ. W. Aldridge
b
: antiseptic sense 3
a hygienic view of national realities and moral imperativesI. L. Horowitz
hygienically adverb

Examples of hygienic in a Sentence

For hygienic reasons, restaurants should wash silverware and drinking glasses more than once. The hygienic conditions of the operating room are maintained by the nursing staff. The prisoners' living quarters were not hygienic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This practical and luxe-looking gift will brighten up their countertop and is a more hygienic option than wooden or plastic ones. Cristian Esteban, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2024 At the same time, every word, every sentence is to be subjected to the most hygienic, scholarly, linguistic, and biographical scrutiny. Joy Williams, Harper's Magazine, 2 May 2024 That meant that grooming, as a hygienic behavior, gradually started to lose its relevance and our bouts of grooming started getting shorter. Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 28 Oct. 2024 In the post-pandemic scenario, using QR codes for payment has become a norm due to quick transactions, ease of use and a hygienic approach to payment. Nitin Gupta, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hygienic 

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hygienic was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near hygienic

Cite this Entry

“Hygienic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hygienic. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

hygienic

adjective
: of, relating to, or leading toward good health or hygiene
hygienically adverb

Medical Definition

hygienic

adjective
: of, relating to, or conducive to health or hygiene
hygienically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on hygienic

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