Hygiene is the practices and conditions that keep people and things clean and free from illness, especially the routines of washing, grooming, and sanitation. It denotes a standard of cleanliness necessary for health, often emphasized in personal care, healthcare settings, and public policy. The term also extends to systematic practices that prevent contamination and infection.
"Maintaining good hygiene is essential in healthcare to prevent the spread of germs."
"She adopted a strict hygiene routine, including handwashing and regular disinfecting of surfaces."
"Industrial hygiene focuses on controlling environmental factors to protect workers’ health."
"Public health campaigns promote personal hygiene to reduce disease transmission."
Hygiene comes from the Greek word h hygiene’s source is hygiēnē (health, soundness), which itself derives from hȳgós (healthy, personal cleanliness) and the Proto-Indo-European root *syu- meaning ‘to be smooth, sound.’ In ancient Greek philosophy and medicine, hygiēnē was the goddess of health and the art of clean living. The term entered Latin as hygienia and then Middle French as hygienie, adopting the meaning of sanitary practices. English adopted Hygiene in the 17th century, initially in a medical or philosophical sense, later expanding to everyday cleanliness and public health contexts. Over time, the word broadened from personal cleanliness to include methods, policies, and disciplines designed to prevent disease and promote well-being, often used in professional fields like medicine, dentistry, and occupational health. Today, hygiene also appears in brand names and consumer products, reflecting the ongoing cultural emphasis on cleanliness as a cornerstone of health and social responsibility.
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Words that rhyme with "Hygiene"
-ime sounds
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Pronounce as /ˈhaɪ.dʒiːn/ in US and UK English, with primary stress on HY- and two syllables. The first syllable contains the /aɪ/ diphthong like 'high,' and the second syllable ends with a long /iː/ before the /n/. In careful speech, you’ll hear a light light vowel between /dʒ/ and /iː/—think HY-
Common errors: 1) Tensing or delaying the /dʒ/ blend, making it sound like 'hy-ji' instead of 'hy-jiːn.' 2) Shortening the final /iː/ to /ɪ/ or /eɪ/ in rapid speech, and 3) misplacing the stress or blurring syllables in fast conversation. Correct by maintaining the /haɪ/ onset, crisp /dʒ/ articulation followed by the long /iː/ before the final /n/. Practice saying HY- with a long E: /ˈhaɪ.dʒiːn/.
US/UK/AU share /ˈhaɪ.dʒiːn/ with primary stress on the first syllable. Differences: rhoticity affects the color of the first syllable in some US accents, but /haɪ/ remains the same. The /ɪ/ in the second syllable can be slightly shorter in some UK regional accents and lengthened in others. Australian accents may feature a slightly broader /ɔɪ/ onset for some speakers, but standard AU aligns closely with /haɪ.dʒiːn/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /dʒ/ immediately after /aɪ/ and the long /iː/ that follows, which can blur in rapid speech. The word’s two-syllable structure with a strong initial stress requires precise tongue position: the start uses a high front diphthong /aɪ/ and then a voiced postalveolar affricate /dʒ/. Mastery comes from careful attention to the transition from /aɪ/ to /dʒ/ and sustaining the long /iː/ before the final /n/.
Hygiene uniquely combines a high-onset vowel /aɪ/ with a postalveolar affricate /dʒ/ and a long /iː/ before a nasal /n/, creating a crisp, two-syllable rhythm HY-giːn. The challenge is keeping the /dʒ/ crisp and not merging it with the following vowel, while maintaining the long duration on the /iː/ in the second syllable. Ensure the J sound is strongly released and the final /n/ is clear.
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