Meaning & use
hives
Last updated
An allergic skin reaction causing raised, itchy welts on the skin.
See it in a sentence
She broke out in hives after eating shellfish she was allergic to.
Stress can sometimes trigger hives in people prone to allergic skin reactions.
A note on using this word
Hives is always used in plural form, even when referring to a single outbreak, similar to a word like 'measles.'
Words with a similar meaning
urticaria
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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