allergy
UK[ˈælədʒi]US[ˈælərdʒi]
n
a medical condition in which the body reacts badly to a particular substance because it has become too sensitive to it
n
a strong feeling of not liking or being opposed to something
Morpheme Breakdown
all
erg
y
all
other
erg
work
y
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'allergy' is a modern scientific term coined in the early 20th century by austrian pediatrician clemens von pirquet. he combined the greek roots allos (other, different) and ergon (work, activity) to literally describe an 'altered reaction' or 'different work' performed by the body's immune system. this term was created to conceptualize the body's hypersensitive response to normally harmless substances, framing it as a deviation from its standard protective function. thus, the ancient greek elements for 'other' and 'work' were repurposed to precisely name this specific pathological condition.
Analysis
Structure: all (other) + erg (work) + y (noun suffix)
all- (from greek allos, meaning 'other, different'); -erg- (from greek ergon, meaning 'work, activity'); -y (a noun-forming suffix of greek and latin origin, indicating state or condition).
Examples
she has a severe allergy to peanuts and must carry an epinephrine injector.
his allergy to modern technology makes him avoid smartphones and social media.
the doctor conducted tests to determine the cause of her skin allergy.