hygienic

Everyday

1. Clean and free of germs, so it is unlikely to spread illness. tree →
2. Helping to keep things clean and healthy: a hygienic way of storing food. tree →

In the lessons

In health, science and food-tech lessons, hygienic habits stop germs spreading: washing hands, covering sneezes, keeping kitchens clean, storing food properly. Hospitals, kitchens and bathrooms must be hygienic. Phrases: hygienic conditions, it is not hygienic to…, a hygienic kitchen, more hygienic.

Examples

• It is not hygienic to share a toothbrush. tree →
• The school kitchen must be kept hygienic. tree →
• Washing your hands with soap is the most hygienic thing to do before eating. tree →
• Paper towels can be more hygienic than a shared cloth towel. tree →
• The nurse put on gloves to keep things hygienic. tree →
• Licking the spoon and putting it back in the jar is not hygienic! tree →
• Cats are quite hygienic animals and wash themselves a lot. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: «hygienic» has «-gie-»: h-y-g-i-e-n-i-c. Noun: «hygiene» (personal hygiene). Opposite: «unhygienic». «Hygienic» is about germs and cleanliness, not about tidiness: a messy room can be hygienic and a neat one can have germs.