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irritant

 - 5 dictionary results

ir⋅ri⋅tant

  [ir-i-tnt]
Use irritant in a Sentence
–adjective
1. tending to cause irritation; irritating.
–noun
2. anything that irritates.
3. Physiology, Pathology. a biological, chemical, or physical agent that stimulates a characteristic function or elicits a response, esp. an inflammatory response.
Origin:
1630–40; < L irrītant- (s. of irrītāns), prp. of irrītāre to irritate; see -ant

Related forms:
ir⋅ri⋅tan⋅cy, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To irritant
ir·ri·tant   (ĭr'ĭ-tənt)   
adj.  Causing irritation, especially physical irritation.
n.  A source of irritation: tobacco smoke, a common eye irritant.

[French, from Latin irrītāns, irrītant-, present participle of irrītāre, to irritate.]
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: 1ir·ri·tant
Pronunciation: 'ir-&-t&nt
Function: adjective
: causing irritation; specifically : tending to produce inflammation

Main Entry: 2irritant
Function: noun
: something that irritates or excites; specifically : an agent by which irritation is produced irritant>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

irritant ir·ri·tant (ĭr'ĭ-tənt)
adj.
Causing irritation, especially physical irritation. n.
A source of irritation.

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