Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unwholesome” come from?

Unwholesome derives from Middle English unholsom, which combined the prefix un- with holsom, meaning "promoting health or well-being."

unwholesome (English): Not wholesome; unfavorable to health;...

Definitions

  1. Not wholesome; unfavorable to health;...

Ancestry of “unwholesome”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishunholsom—

Words derived from “unwholesome”

  • unwholesomeness
Every word from Middle English unholsom →