Hale and hearty
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Strong, healthy and energetic, particularly when describing an older person who remains vigorous. Old-fashioned and frequently applied to older people. It is generally positive, though it can sound patronising if a person's age or health is not relevant. Regional use: English; now widely understood but most natural in British and old-fashioned styles.
Origin
Hale is much older than the full alliterative pair. It descends from Old English hal, meaning whole, healthy or sound, and belongs to the same historical family as health and whole. The idiom dictionary dates hale and hearty itself to the mid-nineteenth century. The fixed expression is therefore not an unchanged Old English phrase: Victorian-era speakers combined an ancient, increasingly literary adjective with hearty to reinforce the idea of robust health.
Research Sources
Usage Examples
- At ninety, the retired carpenter remains hale and hearty enough to tend his garden.
- She sounded hale and hearty during our call, despite the long journey home.
- The doctor found him hale and hearty and approved the walking holiday.