What does hydration mean?
Hydration is the process of supplying the body with the water it needs to function, as well as the condition of being adequately supplied with it. The body regularly loses water through urination, sweating, breathing, and other processes, so drinking fluids and eating water-rich foods help maintain its fluid balance. The word is especially common in medicine, sports, and wellness contexts, where advice about hydration may concern heat exposure, exercise, illness, or recovery. In everyday use, it can also describe adding moisture to soil, food, or other materials. Although hydration does not mean drinking an unlimited amount of water, it generally indicates a healthy balance between fluid intake and loss. The related adjective hydrated is often used to describe a person, surface, or material that has sufficient moisture.
nounThe process of giving something, especially the body, water or moisture. It also refers to the state of being adequately supplied with water, as in proper hydration during exercise.
- The process of supplying the body or another organism with water or moisture.
- The state of being adequately supplied with water, especially in relation to health or physical performance.
"Athletes need careful hydration to replace the fluids they lose through sweat."
"The clinic advised patients to maintain good hydration during the heatwave."
"Her skin looked healthy and well-hydrated after the long journey."
Your body is more than two-thirds water, and keeping that balance steady is the quiet work behind nearly every kind of performance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hydration come from?
The word hydration was formed in the 19th century from hydrate, which comes through Latin from Greek hydor, meaning “water,” combined with the suffix -ate. English had already adopted related forms such as hydrogen, meaning “water-forming,” and hydraulic, referring to fluids or the movement of water. Later formations include dehydration, meaning the loss of water, and rehydration, meaning the restoration of fluids.
Related word forms
How hydration is actually used
In health and fitness contexts, hydration usually refers to the balance between fluid intake and fluid loss. It can also be used more broadly for adding water or moisture to a material or system.
Easily confused with hydration
Hydration is the process or state of receiving and retaining adequate water, whereas dehydration is the condition that results from losing too much fluid or failing to replace it.