Unwholesome

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌənˈhoʊlsəm/

Definitions

1. Harmful to physical, mental, or moral health; detrimental to well-being
2. Having a negative impact on health or morality, leading to harmful effects on well-being
3. Detrimental to physical health or moral integrity and generally producing adverse effects on overall well-being

Etymology: "Unwholesome" is a plain compound: the prefix "un-", meaning "not", attached to "wholesome". The base word is older than it looks. "Wholesome" comes from "hol," an Old English adjective meaning "whole" or "healthy," with the suffix "-some," which forms adjectives meaning "characterized by" (as in "handsome" or "lonesome"). A wholesome thing was thus one that kept a person whole, sound in body and mind. The negative form appeared in Middle English as "unholsom," and its sense has stayed close to the root. Where "wholesome" describes food or air that promotes health, "unwholesome" describes whatever works against it, whether that is spoiled meat, polluted water, or a corrupting influence on character. The physical and moral senses have always run side by side, which is why the word can describe a damp cellar and a dishonest newspaper with equal ease.

Synonyms: unhealthy, harmful, noxious, detrimental, unwholesome

Antonyms: wholesome, healthy, beneficial, nutritious, salubrious