urticaria

American  

[ur-ti-kair-ee-uh] / ˌɜr tɪˈkɛər i ə /

noun

Pathology.

1. a transient condition of the skin, usually caused by an allergic reaction, characterized by pale or reddened irregular, elevated patches and severe itching; hives.

---

urticaria British  

/ ˌɜːtɪˈkɛərɪə /

noun

1. Nontechnical names: hives.   nettle rash.  a skin condition characterized by the formation of itchy red or whitish raised patches, usually caused by an allergy

---

urticaria Scientific  

/ ûr′tĭ-kâr′ē-ə /

1. See hives

---

Other Word Forms

• urticarial adjective

Etymology

Origin of urticaria

1765–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin urtīc ( a ) nettle + -āria, feminine of -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

Gao suffers from chronic lumbar spine disease, arthritis, eye problems and chronic urticaria – a skin condition that causes itchy red welts.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

Thorne was diagnosed autistic as an adult and lived with an intense skin condition called cholinergic urticaria in his 20s, meaning he was allergic to heat and his own body movements.

From BBC • May 27, 2025

In the realm of additives, substances like tartrazine and sodium benzoate emerge as potential instigators of urticaria and asthma.

From Salon • Jan. 8, 2024

The patient had developed an allergy to sunshine — a condition known as solar urticaria.

From New York Times • Jul. 6, 2023

In a case of acute widely distributed urticaria, A. Lazarus found the eosinophils increased to 60% of the leucocytes, a number which after the course of a few days again sank to normal.

From Histology of the Blood Normal and Pathological by Myers, W.