hypoallergenic
English
[edit]
Etymology
[edit]Coined between 1950 and 1955 from hypo- + allergenic.[1] Some say that it was coined by advertisers in 1953.[2] Merriam-Webster puts the date at 1940.[3]
Pronunciation
[edit]Adjective
[edit]hypoallergenic (comparative more hypoallergenic, superlative most hypoallergenic)
- Containing fewer allergens; minimally allergenic.
- 2017, Howard Bennett, The Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick & How You Get Sick:
- However, unless you have a nonshedding, nonlicking breed, there's no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog. How about a nice goldfish instead?
- (immunology) Relating to a hypoallergen.
Usage notes
[edit]The first sense of the term is used by advertisers for cosmetics, jewelry, pets, food, and so on, but it does not have a precise medical meaning. The FDA tells consumers, “There are no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term hypoallergenic. The term hypoallergenic means whatever a particular company wants it to mean.”[2]
Synonyms
[edit]Translations
[edit]containing few allergens
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References
[edit]- ^ “hypoallergenic”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Carmel Smyth (2000 October 3) “Hypoallergenic: What's in a Word?”, in Marketplace Microscope[1], CBC, archived from the original on 10 June 2004
- ^ “hypoallergenic”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.