English Lexicon

Unhealthy

/ʌnˈhɛl.θi/
adjectiveCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Not conducive to good health; harmful to health.

    "Eating too many sugary snacks can lead to unhealthy weight gain."
  2. 2

    Characterized by poor health or a lack of well-being.

    "The unhealthy environment contributed to the spread of disease."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'unhealthy' is formed from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the root 'healthy', which comes from the Old English 'halig', meaning 'whole' or 'sound'. The term has evolved over time to denote a lack of health or well-being.

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