Meanings
plural atopies
- countableuncountablemedicineA hereditary disorder marked by the tendency to develop localized immediate hypersensitivity reactions to allergens such as pollen, food etc and is manifested by hay fever, asthma, or similar allergic conditions; generally considered to be caused by the interaction of environmental and genetic factors.
Whatever factor is invoked to explain the increase in asthma must also be capable of explaining other outbreaks of atopy.
1999, Matt Ridley, Genome, Harper Perennial, published 2004, page 67 - countableuncountableA person suffering from atopic syndrome; a case of atopy.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounan allergic reaction that becomes apparent in a sensitized person only minutes after contact
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekἀτοπία“extraordinary nature”
- Englishatopy
From Ancient Greek ἀτοπία (atopía, “extraordinary nature”), from ἄτοπος (átopos), from ἀ- (a-) + τόπος (tópos, “place”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 特應性 /特应性
- 特應性 /特应性 (tèyìngxìng)hereditary disorder
Czech atopie
- atopiehereditary disorder
Dutch atopie
- atopiehereditary disorder
Finnish atopia, atoopikko
- atopiahereditary disorder
- atoopikkoperson suffering from atopic symdrome
German Atopie
- Atopiehereditary disorder
Indonesian atopi
- atopihereditary disorder
Japanese アトピー
- アトピー (atopī)hereditary disorder
Korean 아토피
- 아토피 (atopi)hereditary disorder
Polish atopia, atopik
- atopiahereditary disorder
- atopikperson suffering from atopic symdrome
Spanish atopia
- atopiahereditary disorder
Swedish atopi
- atopihereditary disorder
Cite this entry
atopy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/atopy
“atopy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/atopy. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “atopy,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/atopy.
Source: atopy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.