Pertaining to health or hygiene or the preservation of health; hygienic; healthy.Synonyms Sanitary, Sanatory. These two words are often confounded. Sanitary means “pertaining to health, hygienic”: as, sanitary science; sanitary conditions (which may be good or bad). Sanatory means “serving to heal, therapeutic”: as, sanatory medicines or agencies.n. A public water-closet, urinal, and lavatory.