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.
Additionally, many users report that a bidet is more comfortable and hygienic than traditional toilet paper alone. Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2025 The 72-hour storage function reduces the need to transfer items to a separate drying rack or sterilizer, helping maintain a clutter-free counter and a more hygienic setup. Nia Bowers, USA Today, 8 July 2025 The song takes kids through each step of a healthy bedtime routine, from brushing your teeth, to getting in bed and telling a story, to help normalize what healthy and hygienic routines look like at home. Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 13 June 2025 In their interviews with town businessmen, the Sodality women try to convince the men that more hygienic practices will actually improve their bottom line, but the men are skeptical: why do anything new? Deborah Williams july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Hygienic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hygienic. Accessed 6 Aug. 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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