Word
wholesome
Phoneticswhole·some, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhoʊɫsəm/
UK/hˈəʊlsʌm/
Definitions
01healthy for the body
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. good for your physical health, especially when talking about food.
adj. conducive to physical health and well-being; typically used to describe nutritious, natural food.
“The farm shop sells wholesome bread and fresh vegetables grown in the local fields.”
“The retreat focused on providing wholesome meals prepared with organic ingredients to help guests restore their physical vitality.”
Usage
Usually precedes the noun it describes.
Synonyms
02morally good or decent
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. good for your mind or character because it is honest, kind, and not offensive.
adj. promoting moral well-being or suggesting a pure and decent character; often used for family-friendly entertainment.
“It was a wholesome film that the whole family could enjoy together.”
“The brand built its reputation on a wholesome image, featuring advertisements that celebrated traditional community values and simple living.”
Teaching tip
In modern internet slang, this is often used to describe content that is heartwarming or emotionally uplifting.
Real-World Examples
“The film focuses on wholesome Julie (Deborah Foreman), the child of two ageing, laid-back hippies who run a health food store and restaurant.” “Each is a simple and mostly wholesome meal portioned for a typical lunch.” Etymology
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/wholesome