tachyphylaxis

ta·chy·phy·lax·is
T1A1C3H4Y4P3H4Y4L1A1X8I1S1
UK/ˌtækɪfɪˈlæksɪs/Canada, US/ˌtækəfəˈlæksɪs/New Zealand/ˌtɛkəfəˈlɛksəs/

noun

A rapidly decreasing response to a drug following administration of the initial doses.

“His body underwent a sort of tachyphylaxis against spice, since he ate habaneros daily.”

OriginEnglish phylaxis ← Ancient Greek τᾰχῠ́ς (tăkhŭ́s) →
Scrabble 36
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Meanings

nountachyphylaxis (countable and uncountable, plural tachyphylaxes)

plural tachyphylaxes

  1. countableuncountablemedicineA rapidly decreasing response to a drug following administration of the initial doses.

    His body underwent a sort of tachyphylaxis against spice, since he ate habaneros daily.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekτᾰχῠ́ς (tăkhŭ́s)
  2. Englishtachy-
  3. Englishphylaxis
  4. Englishtachyphylaxis

From tachy- + phylaxis.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

tachyphylaxis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tachyphylaxis

MLA

“tachyphylaxis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tachyphylaxis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tachyphylaxis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tachyphylaxis.

Source: tachyphylaxis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.