allergic
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allergic
A medical hypersensitivity of the body to certain substances that leads to a defensive reaction such as a skin rash or breathing difficulties.
Ich bin allergisch gegen Katzenhaare und bekomme sofort eine laufende Nase.
I am allergic to cat hair and immediately get a runny nose.
allergic
In a figurative sense: to react to something with strong emotional aversion or irritation.
Mein Chef reagiert allergisch auf Kritik an seinen Plänen.
My boss reacts allergicly to criticism of his plans.
The preposition after 'allergisch' (allergic) depends on the meaning. For the medical allergy (meaning 1), you use 'gegen' + accusative. For the figurative, emotional aversion (meaning 2), 'auf' + accusative is typical.
Mein Sohn ist allergisch gegen Nüsse.
My son is allergic to nuts.
The adjective 'allergisch' (allergic) belongs to the noun 'die Allergie' (the allergy). The ending '-isch' is a common ending for adjectives that describe belonging or a characteristic.
Er leidet seit seiner Kindheit an einer schweren Allergie.
He has suffered from a severe allergy since childhood.
In the figurative meaning, people often react 'allergisch' (allergicly) to abstract things such as criticism, suggestions, certain topics, or behaviors.
Er reagiert allergisch, wenn man seine Arbeitsweise infrage stellt.
He reacts allergicly when someone questions his way of working.
sensitive
Both words can describe a strong reaction to criticism. Empfindlich emphasizes that someone is easily offended or hurt, while allergisch highlights an especially strong rejection of or irritation toward the trigger. Empfindlich is usually appropriate for someone who is easily offended, while allergisch often expresses clear rejection.
Er reagiert allergisch auf jede Kritik an seinem Plan.
He reacts allergically to any criticism of his plan.
Sie reagiert empfindlich, wenn jemand ihre Arbeit kritisiert.
She reacts sensitively when someone criticizes her work.
