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Hives

/haɪvz/

nounB2plural

Definition

Hives are small, raised, red or pink areas on the skin that often itch a lot. They usually happen because of an allergy, like when your body reacts to something it does not like, such as certain foods, medicine, or insect bites. Hives can appear suddenly and may change shape or move around the body.

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See It in Action

Allergic skin reaction causing red, itchy bumps

  • •After eating peanuts, she got hives all over her arms.
  • •The doctor said the hives were caused by an allergy to the new soap.
  • •Hives can appear suddenly and disappear within hours or days.

(Less common) Beehives, the homes where bees live (plural of hive)

  • •The beekeeper checked the hives for honey.
  • •The bees were busy flying in and out of the hives.

Make It Stick

  • ✓Think of "hives" like "rash" (A1 word), but hives are usually raised and very itchy, while rash can be flat or different.
  • ✓Picture red, swollen spots that look like small bubbles or welts on your skin, often with strong itching.
  • ✓It's the uncomfortable feeling when your skin suddenly breaks out after eating something new or touching something irritating.
  • ✓Sounds like "hives" → imagine bees in a hive that sting and cause red bumps on your skin.
  • ✓In stories or movies, characters with allergies sometimes get hives as a sign their body is upset.
  • ✓NOT like "bruise" (which is caused by injury and looks blue or purple), hives are caused by allergy and are red and itchy.
  • ✓NOT like "pimple" (which is from skin infection), hives are from the immune system reacting to something.
  • ✓NOT like "eczema" (long-lasting skin problem), hives usually come and go quickly.

Try Other Words

  • •Rash: general skin irritation or redness (Use when you want a broader, less specific term)
  • •Welts: raised marks on skin (Use when emphasizing the raised, swollen look)
  • •Allergic reaction: body's response to allergen (Use when focusing on cause rather than appearance)

Unboxing

  • •Word parts: hive (base word) + "s" (plural form)
  • •Etymology: "hive" comes from Old English "hīf," meaning a bee’s home; the skin reaction name comes from the bumps looking like bee hives or clusters
  • •Historical development: The skin condition was named "hives" because the red bumps look like the small cells in a bee hive
  • •Modern usage: Mostly used to describe allergic skin reactions; also used for bee homes in plural

Reflect & Connect

•How do you think your body knows when to create hives as a reaction?
•Can hives be helpful in warning us about things we are allergic to? Why or why not?

Fill in the blanks

1.People often get hives after eating foods that ___ their immune system.
2.Hives usually cause ___ and red bumps that can move around the body.
3.Unlike a bruise, hives are ___ and often very itchy.
4.When someone has hives, doctors check for ___ to find the cause.
5.Hives can appear ___ and disappear after a few hours or days.
6.The word "hives" comes from the way the bumps look like a ___.
7.If you see hives on your skin, it means your body is ___ to something outside.