1
: a science of the establishment and maintenance of health
2
: conditions or practices (as of cleanliness) conducive to health
has poor personal hygiene
Brushing your teeth regularly is an important part of good oral hygiene.
see also feminine hygiene
Examples of hygiene in a Sentence
Poor sanitation and hygiene caused many of the soldiers to get sick.
He has very poor personal hygiene.
Brushing your teeth regularly is an important part of good dental hygiene.
Recent Examples on the Web
But as this incident shows, convenience can’t come at the expense of basic digital hygiene.
—
Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
The plaintiffs not only argued that the raids and arrests violated the Constitution, but also cited conditions of the downtown federal building where the detainees have been taken, noting that they are deprived of food and basic hygiene, for what is supposed to be a temporary holding facility.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 11 July 2025
Izquierdo, 34, described long periods without showers, lack of basic hygiene supplies, inadequate food and constant lighting within the makeshift Everglades compound.
—Amanda Castro
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
The unit prioritizes completeness over speed — which is arguably a fair tradeoff in infant care, where hygiene must come first.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hygiene
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Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
The plaintiffs not only argued that the raids and arrests violated the Constitution, but also cited conditions of the downtown federal building where the detainees have been taken, noting that they are deprived of food and basic hygiene, for what is supposed to be a temporary holding facility.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 11 July 2025
Izquierdo, 34, described long periods without showers, lack of basic hygiene supplies, inadequate food and constant lighting within the makeshift Everglades compound.
—Amanda Castro
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
The unit prioritizes completeness over speed — which is arguably a fair tradeoff in infant care, where hygiene must come first.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hygiene
Cite this Entry
“Hygiene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hygiene. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hygiene
noun
hy·giene
ˈhī-ˌjēn 
1
: a science that deals with the bringing about and keeping up of good health in individuals and groups
2
: conditions or practices (as of cleanliness) that are aids to good health
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