ALLERGY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does allergy mean? 

• ALLERGY (noun)
  The noun ALLERGY has 1 sense:

1. hypersensitivity reaction to a particular allergen; symptoms can vary greatly in intensity

  Familiarity information: ALLERGY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALLERGY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Hypersensitivity reaction to a particular allergen; symptoms can vary greatly in intensity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

allergic reaction; allergy

Hypernyms ("allergy" is a kind of...):

hypersensitivity reaction (an inappropriate and excessive reaction to an allergen (as pollen or dust or animal hair or certain foods); severity ranges from mild allergy to severe systemic reactions leading to anaphylactic shock)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "allergy"):

food allergy (allergic reaction to a substance ingested in food)

atopic allergy; atopy; immediate allergy; type I allergic reaction (an allergic reaction that becomes apparent in a sensitized person only minutes after contact)

serum disease; serum sickness (a delayed allergic reaction to the injection of an antiserum caused by an antibody reaction to an antigen in the donor serum)

delayed allergy; type IV allergic reaction (an allergic reaction that becomes apparent only hours after contact)

Derivation:

allergic (having an allergy or peculiar or excessive susceptibility (especially to a specific factor))

allergic (characterized by or caused by allergy)

allergist (a physician skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies)

 Context examples 

They may also be triggered by stress, food allergies, lack of vitamins and minerals, hormonal changes or menstrual periods.

(Canker Sores, NIH)

Calcium chromate primarily affects the nose, throat and lungs causing ulcerations, shortness of breath, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma-like allergy but can also affect the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys and immune system.

(Calcium Chromate, NCI Thesaurus)

You may also have allergy tests.

(Asthma, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Symptoms include facial pain, chronic allergies, dizziness, neck pain, ear pain and vertigo.

(Cervicocranial Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

Chromium trioxide primarily affects the nose, throat and lungs causing ulcerations, shortness of breath, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma-like allergy but can also affect the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys and immune system.

(Chromium Trioxide, NCI Thesaurus)

It is caused by infections, allergies, and the presence of sinus polyps or a deviated septum.

(Chronic Ethmoidal Sinusitis, NCI Thesaurus)

A chronic cough may be caused by allergies, sinus infections, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or other conditions.

(Chronic cough, NCI Dictionary)

Antihistamines are used to prevent fevers in patients receiving blood transfusions and to treat allergies, coughs, and colds.

(Antihistamine, NCI Dictionary)

Treatments include medicines, allergy shots, and avoiding the substances that cause the reactions.

(Allergy, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Pertaining to, caused by, affected with or of the nature of allergy.

(Allergic, NCI Thesaurus)