Podcast Summary

Podcast: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Episode: gesundheit
Date: September 26, 2025
Host: Peter Sokolowski

Episode Overview

This episode explores the origins, usage, and meaning of "gesundheit," a word commonly uttered to wish someone good health after they sneeze. Host Peter Sokolowski offers historical context, linguistic detail, and contemporary usage, making it accessible and interesting for those wanting to deepen their understanding of everyday interjections.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Does "Gesundheit" Mean?

• Definition:
  "Gesundheit is an interjection. It's used to wish good health to one who has just sneezed."
  (00:41)

Usage in Context

• Example Sentence:
  "Here's the word used in a sentence from the Toronto: Personally, I did not like my husband's sneezing into his hand, so I stopped saying gesundheit. Whenever he did that, he now almost always sneezes into his elbow."
  (00:50)

• Cultural Practice:
  "When English speakers hear a chew, they usually respond with either 'gesundheit' or 'God bless you.'"
  (00:57)

Etymology

• Origin:
  • Borrowed in the early 20th century from German.
  • "Literally means 'healthy health.'"
  • Formed from "gesund" meaning healthy and "-heit" meaning "hood" or "state."
    (01:10)

Historical Significance

• Reason for Usage:

  • "Wishing a person good health when they sneeze was historically believed to forestall the illness that a sneeze often portends."
    (01:19)

  • The phrase "God bless you" served a similar purpose, "albeit with more divine weight."
    (01:24)

Obsolete Meanings

• Toast Usage:
  • "Wishing gesundheit at one time also served as a toast when drinking, much like its English counterpart 'to your health.' But this use is now largely obsolete."
    (01:30)

Notable Quotes

• On Definition and Use:

  "Gesundheit is an interjection. It's used to wish good health to one who has just sneezed."
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:41]

• Cultural Note:

  "When English speakers hear a chew, they usually respond with either gesundheit or God bless you."
  — Peter Sokolowski [00:57]

• On Origin:

  "Gesundheit was borrowed in the early 20th century from German, where it literally means 'healthy health.'"
  — Peter Sokolowski [01:10]

• On Historical Superstition:

  "Wishing a person good health when they sneeze was historically believed to forestall the illness that a sneeze often portends."
  — Peter Sokolowski [01:19]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:41 – Introduction and definition of "gesundheit"
• 00:50 – Example sentence from the Toronto
• 00:57 – Common responses to sneezing in English
• 01:10 – Etymological background of "gesundheit"
• 01:19 – Historical superstitions about sneezing
• 01:30 – Obsolete use of "gesundheit" as a drinking toast

Language and Tone

Peter Sokolowski's approach is warm, succinct, and informative, making the etymology accessible and shedding light on why we say "gesundheit" today. The episode maintains a friendly and educational tone throughout.

Summary

This episode of Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day educates listeners on "gesundheit": its use as a polite response to sneezing, its Germanic roots, and its role in history and culture. The word’s original use as a toast is noted as obsolete, and the episode emphasizes the longstanding human desire to wish health and ward off illness with just a word.