wholesome
- Conducive to good health or moral well-being; promoting physical or mental soundness.
In a sentence
- The family enjoyed wholesome meals prepared from ingredients grown in their own garden.
- The film had a wholesome message about friendship and perseverance that appealed to all ages.
Usage note. 'Wholesome' can apply to food, entertainment, values, or environments; avoid overusing it in marketing, where it can sound patronizing.
Where it comes from
English wholesome — “healthful, morally sound” · entered English 13th c.
From Middle English 'holsom,' from Old English 'hal' (whole, healthy, uninjured) plus the suffix '-som' (promoting, tending toward). Entered English in the 12th–13th century. 'Hal' derives from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (whole, uninjured), related to 'hale,' 'heal,' and 'health.' (Source: Oxford, Etymonline)