hay fever

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a type of allergic rhinitis affecting the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, affecting susceptible persons usually during the summer, caused by pollen of ragweed and certain other plants.

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hay fever British  

noun

1. Technical names: allergic rhinitis.   pollinosis.  an allergic reaction to pollen, dust, etc, characterized by sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes due to inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose

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hay fever Scientific  

/ hā /

1. An seasonal allergic condition characterized by a sensitivity to airborne pollen, resulting in nasal discharge, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. It occurs especially during late spring, late summer, and early fall and can be caused by the pollens of various plants, especially ragweed and certain trees and grasses.

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Etymology

Origin of hay fever

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

"It can mean missed days at work, poor sleep and, for some teenagers and young people, active hay fever symptoms can mean they drop an academic grade in their exams."

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

If your hay fever becomes really debilitating, your GP can refer you to a specialist - but that will take a while.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

If you have watery or itchy eyes, headaches, a reduced sense of smell, or disrupted sleep and tiredness - it could be you are suffering from hay fever.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

"And, for me, the truth came when I was full of hay fever, six hours away from the deadline."

From BBC • Oct. 22, 2025

In fact, after my first run of visits to Mrs. de Roo five years ago, by the time my hay fever began everyone thought my stammer was cured.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell