plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: an allergic disorder marked by raised edematous patches of skin or mucous membrane and usually intense itching and caused by contact with a specific precipitating factor (such as a food, drug, or inhalant) either externally or internally
called also urticaria
Cite this Entry
“Hives.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hives. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hives
singular or plural noun
: an allergic condition in which the skin or mucous membrane breaks out in large red itching patches
Medical Definition
hives
noun, plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: an allergic disorder marked by raised edematous red patches of skin or mucous membrane and usually by intense itching and caused by contact with a specific precipitating factor (as a food, drug, or inhalant) either externally or internally
called also urticaria
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