hay fever

noun

: an acute allergic reaction to pollen that is usually seasonal and is marked by sneezing, nasal discharge and congestion, and itching and watering of the eyes

called also pollinosis

Examples of hay fever in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Outdoor allergens don’t just dissipate after the early months of spring; in fact, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, many allergy symptoms can actually worsen from summer to fall because grasses are the most common trigger for hay fever. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2025

Tooth decay is roughly five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever, affecting nearly 46 percent of American kids. —Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025

So successful, in fact, that now some doctors in the US are prescribing it for certain patients during hay fever season. —Dylan Scott, Vox, 15 Apr. 2025

However, the additives and artificial sweeteners were disrupting my gut microbiome to the point of causing severe hay fever and other allergies. —Misaki Kawatsu, Vogue, 10 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hay fever

• achiever
• believer
• deceiver
• perceiver
• receiver
• reliever
• retriever
• transceiver
• cleaver
• leaver
• weaver
• unbeliever

Kids Definition

hay fever

noun

: an allergy to pollen that is usually marked by sneezing, a runny or stuffed nose, and itchy and watering eyes

Medical Definition

hay fever

noun

ˈhā-ˌfē-vər 

: an acute allergic reaction to pollen that is usually seasonal and is marked by sneezing, nasal discharge and congestion, and itching and watering of the eyes

called also pollinosis