What does hale mean?
Hale is an old-fashioned adjective meaning healthy, vigorous, and physically robust. Its best-known setting is the familiar phrase “hale and hearty,” especially when describing an older person who remains energetic and alert. The word carries an affectionate, gently traditional tone rather than the neutral plainness of healthy, and it can suggest resilience or a notably strong constitution. Although now uncommon in everyday speech, hale is clear and evocative, often appearing in writing that aims for a literary or nostalgic register. The related verb is obsolete: it means to heal or make someone healthy. Hale also has an interesting family relationship with health, heal, and whole, all reflecting a shared Germanic sense of wholeness, soundness, or well-being. Thus, while its modern use is concentrated in a memorable expression, the word reaches beyond mere idiom and preserves an old vocabulary of physical soundness.
Healthy, vigorous, and physically robust.
"The centenarian was remarkably hale and still walked several miles each day."
Chiefly literary or old-fashioned, and often used in the phrase “hale and hearty.”
To heal or make healthy.
"The remedy was believed to hale the injured man."
Obsolete in modern standard English.
Hale and whole share the same ancient Germanic ancestry, despite their very different modern sounds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hale come from?
Hale comes from Middle English hale, from Old English hæl, meaning “whole,” “sound,” or “healthy.” It is closely related to health, heal, and whole, which reflect the same broad Germanic ancestry and its ideas of soundness or restoration. The adjective survives today chiefly in the traditional expression “hale and hearty,” while the older verb meaning “to heal” is now largely obsolete.
How hale is actually used
The adjective is literary and somewhat old-fashioned, often used affectionately of older people. The related verb is obsolete in ordinary modern English and survives mainly in historical or literary writing.
Easily confused with hale
Hale is an old-fashioned adjective describing someone who is already healthy and vigorous, whereas heal is a verb meaning to recover from illness or injury.