healthy

UK: /ˈhɛlθi/ US: /ˈhɛlθi/ ,(hel′thē)

Inflections of 'healthy' (adj):

healthier

adj comparative

healthiest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

health•y /ˈhɛlθi/   adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

1. Medicine having or enjoying good health; fit:
   looked so healthy after a week in the country.
2. Medicine relating to or having the appearance of good health:
   healthy skin.
3. fostering good health;
   healthful:
   a healthy climate.
4. prosperous or sound;
   successful:
   a healthy business.

health•i•ly /ˈhɛlθəli/  adv. 
health•i•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

health•y  (hel′thē), adj., health•i•er, health•i•est. 

1. Medicine possessing or enjoying good health or a sound and vigorous mentality:
   a healthy body; a healthy mind.
2. Medicine pertaining to or characteristic of good health, or a sound and vigorous mind:
   a healthy appearance; healthy attitudes.
3. conducive to good health;
   healthful:
   healthy recreations.
4. prosperous or sound:
   a healthy business.
5. Informal Terms fairly large:
   I bought a healthy number of books.

• health + -y¹ 1545–55

health′i•ly, adv. 
health′i•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. hale, hearty, robust.
• 3. nutritious, nourishing.
  Healthy, healthful, salutary, wholesome refer to the promotion of health.
  Healthy, while applied esp. to what possesses health, is also applicable to what is conducive to health:
  a healthy climate; not a healthy place to be.
  Healthful is applied chiefly to what is conducive to health:
  healthful diet or exercise.
  Salutary suggests something that is conducive to well-being generally, as well as beneficial in preserving or in restoring health:
  salutary effects; to take salutary measures.
  It is used also to indicate moral benefit:
  to have a salutary fear of devious behavior.
  Wholesome has connotations of attractive freshness and purity; it applies to what is good for one, physically, morally, or both:
  wholesome food; wholesome influences or advice.

Antonyms

• 1. sick.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

healthy / ˈhɛlθɪ/ adjective (healthier, healthiest)

1. enjoying good health
2. functioning well or being sound: the company's finances are not very healthy
3. conducive to health; salutary
4. indicating soundness of body or mind: a healthy appetite
5. considerable in size or amount: a healthy sum

ˈhealthily adverb

ˈhealthiness noun