ENGLISH
REFERENCE

wholesome

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhoʊɫsəm// UK //hˈəʊlsʌm// whole·some

adj. describing something that is good for your health or makes you feel morally better. You use this for food that is natural or for movies and activities that are clean and honest.

adj. conducive to or suggestive of good health and physical well-being; also used to describe things that promote moral integrity or social virtue.


SIMPLE

The family spent a wholesome afternoon hiking in the woods.

CONTEXTUAL

The restaurant is famous for its wholesome meals made entirely from locally sourced, organic ingredients.

COMPLEX

While much of modern media relies on shock value, this film was praised for its wholesome portrayal of community spirit and traditional values.

Antonyms
Origin

From earlier holesome, from Middle English holsom, holsum, helsum, halsum, from Old English hālsum, hǣlsum, from Proto-West Germanic hailasam, from Proto-Germanic hailasamaz, equivalent to whole + -some or hale (“healthy”) + -some. Cognate with Saterland Frisian heelsoam, Dutch heilzaam, German Low German heelsaam, German heilsam, Icelandic heilsamur, Norwegian Nynorsk helsesam, Swedish hälsosam (“wholesome”).

Usage

Typically used to modify nouns related to food, lifestyle, or entertainment; can be used both attributively and predicatively.

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