Definition of DANDER

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How did "dander" acquire its "temper" sense? Etymologists have come up with a few possibilities, but nothing is known for sure. Some experts have proposed, tongue-in-cheek, that the meaning stems from the image of an angry person tearing out his or her hair by the fistful, scattering dandruff in the process. Some think it may come from a West Indian word dander, which refers to a kind of ferment and suggests "rising" anger (in English, "ferment" can mean either "an agent capable of causing fermentation" or "a state of unrest or excitement"). Yet another proposed possibility is that the anger sense was imported to America by early Dutch colonists and is from their phrase op donderen, meaning "to burst into a sudden rage."

Examples of dander in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Common triggers behind this include pollen, dust mites, animal dander, cold air, smoke, exercise, and more. — Cassie Shortsleeve, SELF, "Is Your Chest Pain Physical or Mental?," 14 Nov. 2018 Allergens, pollutants, and pet dander, can lead to health issues, and a simple solution is using an air purifier. — Timothy Dahl, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Air Purifier for a Breath of Fresh Air," 16 Oct. 2018 The promise of an air purifier is an enticing one: An appliance designed to cleanse the air in your home, getting rid of all the impurities including odors, smoke, dust, and pet dander. — Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, "Do Air Purifiers Actually Work?," 17 Dec. 2018 Common ones include pollen, dust mites, mold, pet dander, respiratory infections like the common cold, cold air, exercise, smoke, and stress, according to the Mayo Clinic. — Korin Miller, SELF, "7 Life Rules People With Asthma Should Always Follow," 18 Oct. 2018 This air purifier is specifically designed to remove pet odor and dander from your home. — Timothy Dahl, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Air Purifier for a Breath of Fresh Air," 16 Oct. 2018 Like other forms of eczema, hand eczema can get worse due to irritants like mold, pet dander, cold and dry air, rough fabrics like wool, and fragrances, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). — Korin Miller, SELF, "8 Ways to Deal With That Frustrating Hand Eczema," 25 Apr. 2018 Asthma triggers include pet dander, pollen, mold, cold air, cigarette smoke, exercise, and respiratory infections like colds, among others. — Korin Miller, SELF, "What Exactly Causes Asthma in the First Place?," 21 June 2018 While bacteria and viruses can cause pink eye, the allergic form of the condition comes about when your body overreacts to an allergen like pollen, dust mites, mold, or animal dander. — Korin Miller, SELF, "9 Health Issues That Can Cause Sensitivity to Light," 5 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dander.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.