Anaphylaxis
/ˌæn.ə.fəˈlæk.sɪs/noun
A severe, rapid, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
Did you know?The term was coined in 1902 by French physiologists Charles Richet and Paul Portier, who deliberately formed it from Greek roots to describe the opposite of immunity—so the name itself encodes a failed shield.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
aná
“against, back, up”
Ancient Greek
Gk
phýlaxis
“guarding, protection, watchfulness”
1902
Fr/Gk
anaphylaxie
“a state of dangerous sensitivity to a substance, coined as the opposite of protection”
Early 20th Century
English
anaphylaxis
“a severe allergic reaction, especially one occurring rapidly after exposure”
Modern English
English
anaphylaxis
“a severe, rapid, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction”
Explore more surprising origins