Hygiene Is Named After a Greek Goddess
Hygiene is the practice of keeping clean to stay healthy. The word carries the name of Hygieia, daughter of the god of medicine.
Hygiene covers the practices that keep people and places clean enough to stay healthy. The name is a piece of Greek religion: Hygieia was the goddess of health, a daughter of Asclepius, and the word for cleanliness still carries her name.
- Practices that maintain health through cleanliness. *Food hygiene.*
- Cleanliness itself. *Poor hygiene.*
- Sleep hygiene — habits that support good sleep. *Basic sleep hygiene.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | hygiene | Personal hygiene. |
| Adjective | hygienic | A hygienic surface. |
| Adverb | hygienically | Hygienically sealed. |
| Person | hygienist | A dental hygienist. |
| Opposite | unhygienic | Unhygienic conditions. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The restaurant scored top marks for hygiene.Inspections are public in many countries.
- Hand hygiene reduces infection in hospitals.One of the most effective measures known.
- The surfaces are not hygienic.Adjective form.
Hygiene in practice
- Hand hygiene — washing and sanitising hands
- Food hygiene — temperature, separation, cleaning, cooking
- Oral hygiene — brushing, flossing and check-ups
- Sleep hygiene — regular hours, dark room, no screens late
- Industrial hygiene — controlling workplace hazards
From French *hygiène*, from Greek *hygieinos*, healthful, from *hygies*, healthy — the root of the goddess's name. English took it in the seventeenth century as a medical term.
Who was Hygieia?
The Greek goddess of health and cleanliness, a daughter of Asclepius. Her bowl and serpent still appear on pharmacy signs.
What is sleep hygiene?
A set of habits that make sleep easier: consistent bedtimes, a dark cool room, limited caffeine and screens before bed.