histamine

noun his·ta·mine \ ˈhi-stə-ˌmēn , -mən \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of histamine

: a compound C₅H₉N₃ especially of mammalian tissues that causes dilation of capillaries, contraction of smooth muscle, and stimulation of gastric acid secretion, that is released during allergic reactions, and that is formed by decarboxylation of histidine

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Recent Examples of histamine from the Web

Our immune system mistakes pollen as a foreign threat and releases antibodies that attack the allergens, which then releases histamines, causing the familiar runny nose, itchy eyes and throat among other possible symptoms.

— NBC News, "How to prep your home for allergy season," 4 Apr. 2018
With a food allergy, your immune system makes too much of an antibody that then fights the threatening food allergens by releasing histamines and other chemicals.

— gary kleiner, m.d., ph.d., miamiherald, "Children’s food allergies can be minor — or life threatening | Miami Herald," 27 Mar. 2018
But that limit is based on ingesting histamine, not breathing it.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "More nightmare fuel: Bedbugs create cesspool of poop and histamine in your bed," 14 Feb. 2018
The chemical histamine, which regulates much of the inflammatory response, is also a monoamine, so perhaps there’s a link there too?

— dean burnett, The Cut, "Thinking Beyond the ‘Chemical Imbalance’ Theory of Depression," 11 Jan. 2018
Viva Mayr puts guests through rigorous testing to determine sensitivity to things like histamine-generating red wine and cheese.

— dana wood, Town & Country, "7 Detox Destinations You Need To Visit," 13 Mar. 2015
Your body may respond by producing chemicals called histamines, prompting an allergic reaction.

— laura semko, SELF, "How to Tell If You're Lactose Intolerant or If It's Something Else," 24 July 2017
The healthier your immune system, the more equipped your body is to battle histamines.

— natalie parish, star-telegram.com, "Meteorologists predict worsening allergies," 8 May 2017
Once the Simon Fraser University research team added histamine to their traps, everything changed.

— gwen pearson, WIRED, "Building a Better Bed Bug Trap," 29 Dec. 2014

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

Origin and Etymology of histamine

International Scientific Vocabulary hist- + amine

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1913

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HISTAMINE Defined for English Language Learners

histamine

noun

Definition of histamine for English Language Learners

medical : a chemical substance in the body that causes the symptoms that people experience when they are allergic to something

Medical Dictionary

histamine

noun his·ta·mine \ ˈhis-tə-ˌmēn , -mən \

medical Definition of histamine

: a compound C₅H₉N₃ especially of mammalian tissues that causes dilatation of capillaries, contraction of smooth muscle, and stimulation of gastric acid secretion, that is released during allergic reactions, and that is formed by decarboxylation of histidine

—

histaminic

play \ˌhis-tə-ˈmin-ik\ adjective

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histamine

Definition of histamine

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Origin and Etymology of histamine

HISTAMINE Defined for English Language Learners

histamine

Definition of histamine for English Language Learners

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histamine

medical Definition of histamine

histaminic

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histamine

Definition of histamine for English Language Learners

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