How did dander acquire its "temper" sense? There are several theories, though the evidence is inconclusive. It has been proposed that the meaning comes from the image of an angry person tearing out their hair by the fistful, scattering dandruff in the process. Some think it comes from a West Indian word dander, which refers to a kind of ferment and suggests "rising" anger (in English, ferment can mean "a state of unrest or excitement"). Others have suggested that the "anger" sense comes from the Dutch phrase op donderen, meaning "to burst into a sudden rage."
Examples of dander in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebLucky for you, this Bissell vacuum has a specialized brush that is designed to suck up every last bit of fur, dander, and dust.—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 17 Apr. 2024 According to the brand, the purifier can snatch up to 99.97 percent of airborne germs and allergens from the air, including dust, pet dander, pollen, and smoke.—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024 According to the brand, it’s equipped with 99.97 percent filtration efficiency to capture all sorts of germs and allergens from the air, including pollen, dust, smoke, and pet dander.—Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024 Pollution, dust, mold and pet dander also can trigger allergy symptoms.—Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024 Equipped with a powerful motor and two cleaner heads, the Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum easily picks up dirt, dust, and pet dander from carpet and hard flooring.—Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024 Lingering pet dander in carpets can make a unit uninhabitable in the future for someone with severe allergies.—Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024 The vacuum features four-stage filtration with a HEPA filter that removes 99.9 percent of dust, debris, and pet dander measuring 0.3 microns.—Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Jan. 2024 Designed with a 120-watt motor, the vacuum can pick up all the dirt, dust, and pet dander scattered on carpets and hardwood floors.—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 3 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dander.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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