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irritable

 - 4 dictionary results

ir⋅ri⋅ta⋅ble

[ir-i-tuh-buhl]
–adjective
1. easily irritated or annoyed; readily excited to impatience or anger.
2. Physiology, Biology. displaying irritability.
3. Pathology. susceptible to physical irritation.
4. Medicine/Medical. abnormally sensitive to a stimulus.

Origin:
1655–65; < L irrītābilis, equiv. to irrītā(re) to irritate + -bilis -ble


ir⋅ri⋅ta⋅ble⋅ness, noun
ir⋅ri⋅ta⋅bly, adverb


1. snappish, petulant, resentful. Irritable, testy, touchy, irascible are adjectives meaning easily upset, offended, or angered. Irritable means easily annoyed or bothered, and it implies cross and snappish behavior: an irritable clerk, rude and hostile; Impatient and irritable, he was constantly complaining. Testy describes the same kind of behavior or response, particularly to minor annoyances: always on edge, testy and sharp in response; testy and petulant, resenting any interruption. Touchy emphasizes oversensitivity and readiness to take offense, even when none is intended: especially touchy about any reference to obesity. Irascible means habitually angry or easily aroused to anger: an irascible tyrant, roaring at employees for the slightest error.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To irritable
ir·ri·ta·ble   (ĭr'ĭ-tə-bəl)   
adj.  
  1. Easily irritated or annoyed.

  2. Pathology Abnormally sensitive to a stimulus.

  3. Physiology Capable of responding to stimuli.


[French irritable, from Latin irrītābilis, from irrītāre, to irritate.]
ir'ri·ta·ble·ness n., ir'ri·ta·bly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ir·ri·ta·ble
Pronunciation: 'ir-&t-&-b&l
Function: adjective
: characterized by irritability: as a : easily exasperated or excited b : responsive to stimuli
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

irritable ir·ri·ta·ble (ĭr'ĭ-tə-bəl)
adj.

  1. Capable of reacting to a stimulus.

  2. Abnormally sensitive to a stimulus.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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