allergy
/'ælədʤi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A medical condition of hypersensitivity: An allergy is a condition in which the immune system reacts abnormally to a foreign substance (an allergen) that is typically harmless to most people.
- A strong feeling of dislike or aversion (informal): In informal contexts, "allergy" can also describe a strong dislike or intolerance towards something or someone.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Medical):
- She has a severe allergy to peanuts.
- Seasonal allergies cause him to sneeze a lot in the spring.
- Noun (Informal Aversion):
- He has an allergy to boring meetings.
- I seem to have developed an allergy to bad coffee.
Advanced Usage
- "to have an allergy to something": to be allergic to something (medical) or to strongly dislike something (informal).
- Our cat has an allergy to certain types of flea medication.
- The manager has an allergy to excuses; she only wants solutions.
Variants and Related Words
- Allergic (adj): relating to or caused by an allergy; having a strong dislike.
- He is allergic to cats. (Medical)
- I'm allergic to people who are always late. (Informal)
- Allergen (n): a substance that causes an allergic reaction.
- Pollen is a common allergen.
Synonyms
- Hypersensitivity (n, medical): the state of being abnormally sensitive.
- Aversion (n): a strong dislike or disinclination.
- Intolerance (n): inability to endure or an extreme sensitivity.
Related Phrases
- Allergic reaction (n phrase): the physical response that occurs when someone is exposed to an allergen.
- She had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic.
- Allergy shot (n phrase): an injection given to reduce sensitivity to an allergen.
- He gets weekly allergy shots to help with his pollen allergy.
Noun
- hypersensitivity reaction to a particular allergen; symptoms can vary greatly in intensity