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Synonyms

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.

hives British  
/ haɪvz /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
hives Scientific  
/ hīvz /

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

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.

Etymology

Origin of hives

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Before we stage-dive into the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ contributions to pop music’s feel-good pantheon, a confession: Pretty much every entry in their post-”Californication” discography gives me hives.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Their desolation contrasts with hives of construction activity nearby, where cranes tower over designer redevelopments.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

What optimism there is lies only in the title, an ancient Greek word for the science of transforming dead cows into hives, of turning death into life.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

She also develops hives and a rash when coming out of water, whether from a swimming pool, the shower, or the sea, regardless of the outside temperature.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

They sent their children to school and went to church and attended meetings of the Masons and of forty-five other secret societies having lodges, kingdoms, and hives in the village.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.