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lunar hay fever

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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From lunar +‎ hay fever. From having symptoms like hay fever, but occurring due to encounters with lunar contaminants. Coined by Harrison Schmitt in 1972, Apollo 17 astronaut and geologist, to describe the condition already previously encountered by earlier crews, and by his crew.

Noun

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lunar hay fever (uncountable)

  1. (pathology, astronautics, Apollo Program, informal) A condition caused by irritation to the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, from exposure to highly abrasive lunar dust.