ENGLISH
REFERENCE

allergy

n.
US //ˈæɫɝdʒi// UK //ˈælədʒi// al·ler·gy
  1. 1 medical reaction (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Medicine

    a medical condition where your body reacts badly to something like a certain food, pollen, or fur.

    a hypersensitive immune system disorder characterized by adverse reactions to specific allergens, often involving histamine production.

    Example

    He has a severe allergy to peanuts and must be very careful when eating out.

    Example

    The patient presented with a systemic allergy to certain antibiotics, necessitating an immediate change in the prescribed treatment plan.

    Usage

    Commonly used with the preposition 'to'.
    Pitfall
    I have allergy to cats.
    I have an allergy to cats.

    In this sense, 'allergy' is a countable noun and requires an article like 'an' or 'the'.

  2. 2 strong dislike (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Humorous

    a strong feeling of not liking a person, an activity, or an idea.

    a figurative extension denoting a strong antipathy or aversion toward a specific subject or activity.

    Example

    I seem to have developed a sudden allergy to doing housework this weekend.

    Example

    His apparent allergy to hard work became a significant point of contention during his annual performance review.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is used for humorous effect to exaggerate a dislike; it should not be used in formal or medical contexts.
Origin

Borrowed from German Allergie. Coined by Austrian pediatrician Clemens von Pirquet in 1906 from Ancient Greek ἄλλος (állos, “other”) + ἔργον (érgon, “work, activity”), on the model of Energie.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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Last updated June 20, 2026