health

health · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*kéh₂ilos
2. Proto-Germanic*hailaz
3. Proto-Germanic*hailiþō
4. Proto-West Germanic*hailiþu
5. Old Englishhǣlþ
6. Middle Englishhelthe
7. English todayhealth

Inherited from Middle English helthe, from Old English hǣlþ, from Proto-West Germanic *hailiþu, from Proto-Germanic *hailiþō, from *hailaz + *-iþō. Cognate with Old High German heilida. Analyzable as whole, hale, or heal + -th (abstract nominal suffix). More at heal. Doublet of wholth.

health · noun²

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*haliþaz“man, hero”
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*haliþ
3. Old English · inherited fromhæleþ“man, hero, fighter”
4. Middle English · inherited fromheleð“man, hero, fighter”
5. English todayhealth

From Middle English heleð (“man, hero, fighter”), from Old English hæleþ (“man, hero, fighter”), from Proto-West Germanic *haliþ, from Proto-Germanic *haliþaz (“man, hero”). Cognate with West Frisian held (“hero”), Dutch held (“hero”), German Held (“hero”), Norwegian Nynorsk hauld (“freeman”).

First known use, by meaning

• from 11th c. The state of being free from physical or psychological disease, illness, or malfunction; wellness.
• 16th c. (Middle English: 11th–15th c.) Cure, remedy.
• from 17th c. A toast to prosperity.