Hygiene hypothesis
noun
a theory that children not exposed to bacteria and dirt develop weak immune systems and are prone to adult allergies, asthma, etc.
Examples
The hygiene hypothesis was developed to explain the observation that hay fever and eczema, both allergic diseases, were less common in children from larger families, which were presumably exposed to more infectious agents through their siblings.
Word Origin
1989
Read Also:
- Hygienes
[hahy-jeen] /ˈhaɪ dʒin/ noun 1. Also, hygienics. the science that deals with the preservation of health. 2. a condition or practice conducive to the preservation of health, as cleanliness. /ˈhaɪdʒiːn/ noun 1. Also called hygienics. the science concerned with the maintenance of health 2. clean or healthy practices or thinking: personal hygiene n. 1670s, from […]
- Hygienical
[hahy-jee-en-ik, hahy-jen-, -jee-nik] /ˌhaɪ dʒiˈɛn ɪk, haɪˈdʒɛn-, -ˈdʒi nɪk/ adjective 1. conducive to good health; healthful; sanitary. 2. of or relating to . /haɪˈdʒiːnɪk/ adjective 1. promoting health or cleanliness; sanitary adj. 1833, from French hygiénique, from hygiène; see hygiene. The earlier adjective was hygienal (1660s). hygienic hy·gi·en·ic (hī’jē-ěn’ĭk, hī-jěn’-, -jē’nĭk) adj.
- Hygienically
[hahy-jee-en-ik, hahy-jen-, -jee-nik] /ˌhaɪ dʒiˈɛn ɪk, haɪˈdʒɛn-, -ˈdʒi nɪk/ adjective 1. conducive to good health; healthful; sanitary. 2. of or relating to . /haɪˈdʒiːnɪk/ adjective 1. promoting health or cleanliness; sanitary adj. 1833, from French hygiénique, from hygiène; see hygiene. The earlier adjective was hygienal (1660s). hygienic hy·gi·en·ic (hī’jē-ěn’ĭk, hī-jěn’-, -jē’nĭk) adj.
- Hygienics
[hahy-jee-en-iks, hahy-jen-, -jee-niks] /ˌhaɪ dʒiˈɛn ɪks, haɪˈdʒɛn-, -ˈdʒi nɪks/ noun, (used with a singular verb) 1. (def 1). /haɪˈdʒiːnɪks/ noun 1. (functioning as sing) another word for hygiene (sense 1) hygienics hy·gi·en·ics (hī’jē-ěn’ĭks, hī-jěn’-, -jē’nĭks) n. See hygiene.
- Hygienist
[hahy-jee-nist, -jen-ist, hahy-jee-nist] /haɪˈdʒi nɪst, -ˈdʒɛn ɪst, ˈhaɪ dʒi nɪst/ noun 1. an expert in . 2. . /ˈhaɪdʒiːnɪst/ noun 1. a person skilled in the practice of hygiene See also dental hygienist n. 1844, “an expert on cleanliness,” from hygiene + -ist. Earlier was hygeist (1716). Dental sense is recorded by 1913.