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Definition of healthy adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

healthy

adjective
 
 
/ˈhelθi/
 
/ˈhelθi/
(comparative healthier, superlative healthiest)
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  1.  
     having good health and not likely to become ill
    • a healthy child/baby/adult
    • The researchers then measured brain activity in two groups of healthy subjects.
    • a healthy animal/tree
    • Stay healthy by eating well and exercising regularly.
    • She was finally starting to look healthy again.
    • The newborn was perfectly healthy.
    • People are living longer and living healthier lives.
    opposite unhealthy
    Synonyms wellwellall right ▪ OK ▪ fine ▪ healthy ▪ strong ▪ fitThese words all describe somebody who is not ill and is in good health.well [not usually before noun] (rather informal) in good health:
    • I’m not feeling very well.
    • Is he well enough to travel?
    Well is used especially to talk about your own health, to ask somebody about their health or to make a comment on it.    all right [not before noun] (rather informal) not feeling ill; not injured:
    • Are you feeling all right?
    OK [not before noun] (informal) not feeling ill; not injured:
    • She says she’s OK now, and will be back at work tomorrow.
     all right or ok?These words are slightly less positive than the other words in this group. They are both used in spoken English to talk about not actually being ill or injured, rather than being positively in good health. Both are rather informal but OK is slightly more informal than all right.fine [not before noun] (not used in negative statements) (rather informal) completely well:
    • ‘How are you?’ ‘Fine, thanks.’
    Fine is used especially to talk about your health, especially when somebody asks you how you are. It is also used to talk about somebody’s health when you are talking to somebody else. Unlike well it is not often used to ask somebody about their health or make a comment on it: Are you keeping fine?     healthy in good health and not likely to become ill:
    • Keep healthy by exercising regularly.
    strong in good health and not suffering from an illness:
    • After a few weeks she was feeling stronger.
    Strong is often used to talk about becoming healthy again after an illness.    fit (especially British English) in good physical health, especially because you take regular physical exercise:
    • I go swimming every day in order to keep fit.
    Patterns
    • all right/​OK/​fit for something
    • all right/​OK/​fit to do something
    • to feel/​look well/​all right/​OK/​fine/​healthy/​strong/​fit
    • to keep (somebody) well/​healthy/​fit
    • perfectly well/​all right/​OK/​fine/​healthy/​fit
    • physically well/​healthy/​strong/​fit
    Extra Examples
    • Her good diet had kept her healthy.
    • The rare disorder strikes apparently healthy boys between the ages of five and twelve.
    • Working in the open air has made him very healthy.
    • You look disgustingly healthy! How do you manage it?
    • a shampoo that keeps hair looking healthy
    • He says he's ill, but he looks perfectly healthy to me.
    • Here are ten tips for a healthy heart.
    • I feel much healthier since I gave up smoking.
    • She gave birth to a healthy boy.
    • The condition can affect otherwise healthy adults.
    Topics Health and Fitnessa1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • be born
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    phrases
    • fit and healthy
    See full entry
  2.  
     [usually before noun] good for your health
    • a healthy diet/lifestyle
    • healthy eating/food/living
    • The farm provides a healthy work environment.
    opposite unhealthy
    Extra Examples
    • a new diet which is considered much healthier than previous ones
    • Many people today are adopting a healthy lifestyle.
    • More public awareness of healthy eating has made us think more about our diet.
    Topics Cooking and eatinga1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • be born
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    phrases
    • fit and healthy
    See full entry
  3.  
     [usually before noun] showing that you are in good health
    • to have a healthy appetite
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • appear
    • be
    • be born
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    phrases
    • fit and healthy
    See full entry
  4. normal and sensible
    • The child showed a healthy curiosity.
    • She has a healthy respect for her rival's talents.
    • It's not healthy the way she clings to the past.
    opposite unhealthy
  5. successful and working well
    • The economy is extremely healthy at the moment.
    • Your car doesn't sound very healthy.
    Topics Successc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • remain
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    See full entry
  6. [usually before noun] large and showing success
    • a healthy bank balance
    • a healthy profit
    Topics Successc1
See healthy in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee healthy in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: healthy

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