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scratch test

American  

noun

  1. a test for a suspected allergy in which the skin is scratched and an allergen applied to the area, redness indicating a positive reaction.

scratch test British  

noun

  1. med a skin test to determine allergic sensitivity to various substances by placing the allergen to be tested over an area of lightly scratched skin. A positive reaction is typically indicated by the formation of a weal

"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

Etymology

Origin of scratch test

First recorded in 1935–40

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.

For pieces of unknown purity, she performed a quick scratch test using an acid kit to help determine the metal’s karat composition.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2025

An iodine-based scratch test or spectral analysis of leaves could indicate the presence of little cherry disease before it is exhibited in the fruit, Galimba said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 20, 2022

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.