# an apple a day keeps the doctor away

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/an-apple-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

Apples are good for you

## Examples

- I eat fruit every morning because an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
- My grandmother always packs fruit in my lunch, reminding me that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
- While modern medicine is essential, many people still follow the traditional advice that an apple a day keeps the doctor away to maintain their general health.

## Origin

From a Welsh proverb recorded in the 1860s: 'Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning his bread'; the modern form appeared by 1913.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.