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prone to allergies

prone to allergies

3.9
Likely to have a reaction to things like pollen or certain foods
  • adjective
translation icon : propenso a alergias
  • She discovered she was prone to allergies after experiencing reactions to certain flowers.

Examples

  • He isn't prone to allergies, and anyway, he feels too good for such a thing to happen.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Some people are prone to allergies, especially during the spring when pollen counts are high.

  • Children who are prone to allergies should avoid known allergens like peanuts and dust.

Synonyms

allergic
vsprone to allergies
258 3.1

Reacting badly to foods, pollen, or animals

is a general tendency rather than a present confirmed immune reaction
hypersensitive
vsprone to allergies
  • Specialized
2 6.6

Reacting strongly to certain things like foods or pollen and causing allergy symptoms

is a general tendency to suffer reactions rather than an active extreme response
supersensitive
vsprone to allergies
  • Specialized
1 7.3

To react strongly to small amounts of things like pollen or food, often causing allergies

is about a general tendency to suffer reactions not unusually strong responses
atopic
vsprone to allergies
  • Specialized
1 7.9

Likely to develop allergies like eczema, asthma or hay fever

is a wider general tendency to suffer reactions beyond those specific conditions
supersensitized
vsprone to allergies
  • Literature
9.1

Very sensitive to things like allergens or medicines

is a general tendency to suffer reactions rather than extremely high sensitivity
sensitized
vsprone to allergies
6.8

Allergic to a substance and likely to have a strong reaction

is a broad inherited or lasting tendency not only acquired susceptibility

Antonyms

8 3.7

Not changed or harmed by something that tries to hurt it

How Prone

allergic
258 3.1
prone to allergies
3.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

prone + to + allergy

The meaning 'having a tendency to suffer allergic reactions' is directly and compositionally derived from 'prone' (likely to experience something) + the prepositional link 'to' + 'allergies' (allergic reactions). This is a common, cross-linguistic pattern expressing susceptibility, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Prone to allergies comes from the image of being prone—leaning or facing toward something—so a person is more open to dust or pollen and therefore easily affected. That's why it means 'likely to have' allergic reactions.