healthfuladj.
/ˈhɛlθfʊl/ 1.
a. Promoting or conducive to bodily health; health-giving, wholesome, salubrious.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > [adjective] > of health: good > conducive to health
goodOE
healfulc1340
hailsome1372
haila1393
wholesomea1398
halesomea1400
wholefulc1443
salutairec1450
soundc1460
healsomec1475
healthful1495
saluberrime1509
laudable?1518
sanative1548
healthy1552
healthsomea1563
salutiferous1604
non-natural1621
salutary1649
sanitiferous1657
saniferousa1706
constitutional1750
sanitary1853
healthward1884
1495 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (de Worde) xiv. xii. sig. Eiiii/1 This hylle [sc. mount Effraym] was..most helthfull [a1398 BL Add. heleful] in ayre.
1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 180 These famous, and helthfull rivers, the Rhine, Danuby.
1694 Acct. Several Late Voy. (1711) ii. 212 The Country seems much subject to Earthquakes, else very healthful.
1709–10 R. Steele Tatler No. 128. ⁋4 Cleanliness and healthful Industry wait on all your Motions.
1877 Good Words 18 16/1 The cheapest and healthfullest route..is by steamer.
b. Bestowing, promoting, or conducive to moral or spiritual welfare or prosperity; salutary, saving.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > advantage > [adjective] > wholesome
goodOE
wholeOE
wholesomec1175
whole?c1225
hailsome1372
healthfulc1384
haila1393
halea1400
salutairec1450
salutary1490
wholesome1549
salutiferec1550
salutiferous?c1550
healthy1552
healthsomea1563
salubrious1659
apple pie1960
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. iii. 32 He offride for helthe of the man an helthful sacrifice [L. hostiam salutarem].
c1410 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (Gibbs MS.) lf. 121 In þat furst makynge of þis helþfulle sacramente.
1564 T. Becon New Catech. in Catech. & Other Pieces (1844) 201 His glorious passion and healthful death.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 281 King Gregorie..setis out helthfull and gud lawis.
1642 Declar. Lords & Com. 23 Nov. 2 Healthfull for the present State of this Kingdome.
1862 D. Wilson Prehistoric Man II. xxiii. 369 Healthful elements of European civilization.
2.
a. Of persons, their actions, etc.: Full of or characterized by health; enjoying good health; healthy. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > [adjective] > of health: good > healthy
wholeeOE
isoundOE
i-sundfulc1000
ferec1175
soundc1175
fish-wholea1225
forthlyc1230
steadfasta1300
wella1300
safec1300
tidya1325
halec1330
quartc1330
well-faringc1330
well-tempered1340
well-disposeda1398
wealyc1400
furnished1473
mighty?a1475
quartful?c1475
good1527
wholesomea1533
crank1548
healthful1550
healthy1552
hearty1552
healthsome1563
well-affected?1563
disposed1575
as sound as a bell1576
firm1577
well-conditioned1580
sound1605
unvaletudinary1650
all right1652
valid1652
as sound as a (alsoany) roach1655
fair-like1663
hoddy1664
wanton1674
stout?1697
trig1704
well-hained1722
sprack1747
caller1754
sane1755
finely1763
bobbish1780
cleverly1784
right1787
smart1788
fine1791
eucratic1795
nobbling1825
as right as a trivet1835
first rate1841
in fine, good, high, etc., feather1844
gay1855
sprackish1882
game ball1905
abled1946
well-toned1952
a hundred per cent1960
oke1960
1550 M. Coverdale tr. O. Werdmueller Spyrytuall & Precyouse Pearle xv. sig. Giij Whan a man hath bene a longe ceason helthfull & withoute any maner of sycknes.
1667 Duchess of Newcastle Life Duke of Newcastle iii. xiv. 151 By this Temperance he finds himself very healthful.
1754 S. Johnson Life Cave in Gentleman's Mag. Feb. 57/2 He was generally healthful, and capable of much labour.
1862 C. M. Yonge Countess Kate i. 3 Kate was tall, skinny, and brown, though perfectly healthful.
b. Marked by intellectual or moral soundness.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > virtue > [adjective] > morally sound
sound1531
safe?1577
healthfula1616
a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) ii. i. 318 Such an exploit haue I in hand Ligarius, Had you a healthfull eare to heare of it. View more context for this quotation
1744 J. Armstrong Art of preserving Health i. 4 In healthful body how A healthful mind the longest to maintain.
1831 T. B. Macaulay Hampden in Ess. (1887) 205 A mind so great..so healthful and so well proportioned.
1884 Manch. Examiner 14 Nov. 5/7 The Chinese will continue to be a clog upon the healthful progress of the world.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
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adj.c1384