hypoallergenic
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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
- Containing fewer allergens; minimally allergenic.
- (immunology) Relating to a hypoallergen.
Synonyms[edit]
Translations[edit]
containing few allergens
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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]
References[edit]
- ^ “hypoallergenic” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Carmel Smyth (3 October 2000), “Hypoallergenic: What's in a Word?”, in Marketplace Microscope[1], CBC, archived from the original on 10 June 2004, retrieved 10 June 2004
- ^ “hypoallergenic”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary.