Showing results for "hives"

• plural of hive.
• present tense form of hive (3rd person singular).

hives

American  

[hahyvz] / haɪvz /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. any of various eruptive conditions of the skin, as the wheals of urticaria.

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hives British  

/ haɪvz /

noun

1. (functioning as singular or plural) pathol a nontechnical name for urticaria

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hives Scientific  

/ hīvz /

1. A skin condition characterized by transient, itching welts, usually resulting from an allergic reaction.

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hives Cultural  

1. A condition characterized by the sudden appearance of red, raised areas on the skin that itch severely. Hives may be caused by an allergic reaction (see allergy) to foods or other substances.

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Etymology

Origin of hives

First recorded in 1490–1500; originally Scots; of obscure origin

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hives

Two hives were initially installed and staff were recruited to train as beekeepers.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Al-Dabba and his sons, donning protective netted hats and wielding metal bee smokers, gently inspect the neat rows of teeming hives.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Honeybees typically nest above ground in hollow trees or managed hives, and their colonies usually contain between 30,000 and 60,000 bees.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 7, 2026

After her mother’s death, she began working with her father, Salvador, and her uncles at the family’s apiary, where they managed more than 30 hives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

Again my attitude may be informed by love, but it seemed to me that the towns were places to live in rather than nervous hives.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• epidemic
• eruption
• flood
• spate
• wave