Personal Hygiene: Definition, Examples & Tips

Meaning 1：cleanliness habits (Personal Hygiene)

Personal Hygiene 🔊

/ˈpɜːrsənəl ˈhaɪdʒiːn/

The habits and practices that keep your body clean and healthy, like washing hands and brushing teeth.

Person washing hands with soap for personal hygiene cleanliness

cleanliness habits 🔊

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/ˈklɛnlinɪs ˈhæbɪts/

The set of practices aimed at maintaining cleanliness and promoting health, such as washing, brushing teeth, and grooming.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'personalis' (personal) and Greek 'hygieine' (healthful).

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'Personal Hygiene' as 'Personal High-Gene' — high genetic quality from being clean.

📖 Example

Good personal hygiene helps you feel fresh and avoid catching colds. 🔊 Good personal hygiene helps you feel fresh and avoid catching colds.

🔗 Collocations

maintain personal hygiene – keep up with cleanliness routines

good personal hygiene – proper cleanliness practices

practice personal hygiene – perform activities to stay clean

🔄 Synonyms

cleanliness (n.) – the state of being clean or the habit of keeping clean

sanitation (n.) – measures to promote health and prevent disease, especially through cleanliness

grooming (n.) – the process of making yourself neat and clean

🚫 Antonyms

filth (n.) – disgusting dirt or uncleanliness

uncleanliness (n.) – lack of cleanliness; dirty condition

🌱 Derivatives

hygienic (adj.) – conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially by being clean

hygienically (adv.) – in a way that maintains cleanliness and hygiene

📖 Cultural Story

The term 'hygiene' derives from Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health. Modern personal hygiene routines became widespread in the 19th century with germ theory.