allergy
an abnormal reaction of the body to a previously encountered allergen introduced by inhalation, ingestion, injection, or skin contact, often manifested by itchy eyes, runny nose, wheezing, skin rash, or diarrhea.
hypersensitivity to the reintroduction of an allergen. : Compare anaphylaxis.
Informal. a strong dislike or aversion, as toward a person or activity: He has an allergy to hard work.
Origin of allergy
1Words Nearby allergy
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use allergy in a sentence
I simply couldn’t imagine that I might be among the minority of people who get more than flu-like symptoms, even though I’m in my late 50s, slightly overweight and have bad allergies that sometimes trigger asthma.
As a food writer with covid, I worried I’d lose my sense of taste. It turned out to be much worse. | Tim Carman | November 29, 2020 | Washington PostAs he struggled with allergies, Summer began to read up on the benefits of raw honey and exposing oneself to natural allergens.
How Zach & Zoe Sweet Bee Farm Harvests Honey for NYC Restaurants | Terri Ciccone | November 28, 2020 | EaterPenicillin allergies often begin in childhood, but can wane over time, making the drugs safer to use some years later, Sousa-Pinto says.
Penicillin allergies may be linked to one immune system gene | Jeanne Erdmann | November 9, 2020 | Science NewsStill, many tattoo inks contain or degrade into substances that are known to be hazardous, and health complications including infection, allergy and granuloma have been found in about 2% of tattoos.
Dynamic Tattoos Promise To Warn Wearers Of Health Threats | LGBTQ-Editor | September 27, 2020 | No Straight NewsThe Aces pass, catch and immediately attack with startling speed, given their allergy to 3-point shooting.
And, in case you were wondering, the technology can be applied to just about any food allergy.
Some 41 percent of allergy-free and wheeze-free children had grown up in such allergen and bacteria-rich homes.
More Germs, Less Asthma? Study Shows Babies Exposed to Bacteria and Dander at Less Risk | Brandy Zadrozny | June 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOr perhaps all this allergy business is just that: a business.
Blame Climate Change for Your Terrible Seasonal Allergies | Kent Sepkowitz | May 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST(Though in keeping with the American obsession for these things May is designated as allergy & Asthma Awareness Month).
Blame Climate Change for Your Terrible Seasonal Allergies | Kent Sepkowitz | May 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTNever did the Italian girl from Brooklyn expect a food allergy would bring a stigma the way being gluten-free has.
The newscast stopped and a commercial called the attention of listeners to the virtues of an anti-allergy pill.
Operation Terror | William Fitzgerald JenkinsRuth did, of course indicate, told me of his extreme allergy to the FBI.
Warren Commission (9 of 26): Hearings Vol. IX (of 15) | The President's Commission on the Assassination of President KennedySo they work best with life—viruses, germs, vegetable-allergy substances.
The Planet Strappers | Raymond Zinke GallunHe caught Lindsay's regard, rubbed his chin in mild embarrassment, said, "I've a mild allergy to paranoids."
The Ambassador | Samuel Kimball MerwinSickly he recalled that O'Ryan had told him it took twenty-four hours for his grain allergy to take effect.
The Ambassador | Samuel Kimball Merwin
British Dictionary definitions for allergy
/ (ˈælədʒɪ) /
a hypersensitivity to a substance that causes the body to react to any contact with that substance. Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen
informal aversion: he has an allergy to studying
Origin of allergy
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for allergy
[ ăl′ər-jē ]
An abnormally high immunologic sensitivity to certain stimuli such as drugs, foods, environmental irritants, microorganisms, or physical conditions, such as temperature extremes. These stimuli act as antigens, provoking an immunological response involving the release of inflammatory substances, such as histamine, in the body. Allergies may be innate or acquired in genetically predisposed individuals. Common symptoms include sneezing, itching, and skin rashes, though in some individuals symptoms can be severe. See also anaphylactic shock.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for allergy
A highly sensitive reaction of the body to certain substances, such as pollen, that are present in amounts that do not affect most people. Common indications of allergy include sneezing, skin rashes, itching, and runny nose.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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