Well, I went to the doctor for my annual physical. Naturally she prefers that I’m healthy and explains that I should adopt a more healthful diet. Sigh.
Technically, healthful has been a synonym for healthy since 1552, per the Oxford English Dictionary, meaning conducive to good health, e.g., have a healthy snack or a healthful one.
“But if you’re referring to someone who enjoys good health, use healthy because it’d be weird to call a person healthful” (Healthful).
Healthful describes something that will create good health, like apples, yoga, and fresh air. Healthy describes someone or something fit, trim, and utterly not sick or damaged.
Save healthful for the granola and healthy for your personal trainer.
Word Confusions . . .
. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noir for you from either end.
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| Healthful | Healthy |
|---|---|
Assorted Nuts and Wooden Board by Vadim Vasenin, via DepositPhotos, and Colorful Vegetables is via PxFuel. Both are in the public domain. — An assortment of healthful foods. |
Healthy Woman is in the public domain, via PxFuel. |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Adjective | Adjective |
Having or conducive to good health
Having or showing good health
|
In good health
Possessing or enjoying good health or a sound and vigorous mentality Pertaining to or characteristic of good health or a sound and vigorous mind Healthful Prosperous or sound [Informal] Fairly large |
| Examples: | |
| There are a number of healthful methods of cooking vegetables.
Doc is insisting on my adopting a healthful diet. For example, a number of respondents may have given answers related to good nutrition or healthful eating. Even those who are the most devoted to a regimen of exercise and healthful nutrition can be sabotaged by their genes. Actually, spicy food has various healthful effects and is often recommended by nutritionists. |
I feel fit and healthy.
The family is the basis of any healthy society. Your cells are all healthy. She certainly has a healthy appetite. Everyone should experience a healthy balanced diet. She had a healthy contempt for authority. What? You can’t take healthy competition? They’re making a healthy profit. It’s important to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mind. Her kids have a healthy appearance. Our neighbors have some healthy attitudes. We need to adopt more healthy recreations. It’s a healthy business and a good investment. I bought a healthy number of books. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Adjective: quasi-healthful Adverb: healthfully, quasi-healthfully Noun: healthfulness |
Adjective: healthier, healthiest Noun: healthiness |
| History of the Word: | |
| First recorded in 1350–1400, Middle English helthful is a combination of health + -ful. | First recorded in 1545–55, as health + -y. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
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Resources for Healthful versus Healthy
Apple Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com: healthful, healthy
“Healthful / Healthy.” Commonly Confused Words. Vocabulary.com. n.d. Web. 27 July 2021. <https://www.vocabulary.com/articles/chooseyourwords/healthful-healthy/>.
Lexico.com: healthful
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Healthful Diet for a Healthy Woman is under the CC0 license, via PxHere.
