hygiene

/ˌhaɪˈdʒin/

/ˈhaɪdʒin/

Hygiene is any practice or activity that you do to keep things healthy and clean. Washing hands, coughing into your elbow, and regular house cleaning are all part of good hygiene.

Hygieia was the Greek goddess of health, cleanliness and sanitation, so it's not hard to see where the word hygiene comes from. Good oral hygiene includes brushing and flossing your teeth, and working in a clean kitchen helps promote food hygiene. You have a better chance of staying healthy during flu season -and any other time- if you practice good personal hygiene, such as washing your hands frequently.

Definitions of hygiene

1. noun

   a condition promoting sanitary practices
   “personal hygiene”

   type of:

   sanitariness

   the state of being conducive to health
2. noun

   the science concerned with the prevention of illness and maintenance of health
   synonyms: hygienics

   type of:

   medical specialty, medicine

   the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques