irritate definition | Dictionary.com

ir⋅ri⋅tate

[ir-i-teyt]

verb, -tat⋅ed, -tat⋅ing.

–verb (used with object)

1.	to excite to impatience or anger; annoy.

2.	Physiology, Biology. to excite (a living system) to some characteristic action or function.

3.	Pathology. to bring (a body part) to an abnormally excited or sensitive condition.

–verb (used without object)

4.	to cause irritation or become irritated.

Origin:
1525–35; < L irrītātus, ptp. of irrītāre to arouse to anger, excite, aggravate, equiv. to irritā- v. stem + -tus ptp. suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Language Translation for : irritate

Spanish:

irritar, molestar,

German:

verärgern,

Japanese:

いらいらさせる

View 30 other languages »

ir·ri·tate   (ĭr'ĭ-tāt') Pronunciation Key
v.   ir·ri·tat·ed, ir·ri·tat·ing, ir·ri·tates

v.   tr.

To rouse to impatience or anger; annoy: a loud bossy voice that irritates listeners. See Synonyms at annoy.
To chafe or inflame.
Physiology To cause physiological activity or response in (an organ or tissue), as by application of a stimulus.

v. intr.
To be a cause of impatience or anger.

[Latin irrītāre, irrītāt-.]

ir'ri·tat'ing·ly adv., ir'ri·ta'tor n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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irritate

1531, from L. irritatus, from pp. stem of irritare "excite, provoke." An earlier verb form was irrite (c.1450), from O.Fr. irriter.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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irritate
verb
1.	cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations; "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me"; "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves"
2.	excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame; "Aspirin irritates my stomach" [ant: soothe]
3.	excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus; "irritate the glands of a leaf"

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Irritate

Ex*as"per*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Exsasperated; p. pr. & vb. n. Exasperating.]

1. To irritate in a high degree; to provoke; to enrage; to exscite or to inflame the anger of; as, to exasperate a person or his feelings.

To exsasperate them against the king of France. --Addison.

2. To make grievous, or more grievous or malignant; to aggravate; to imbitter; as, to exasperate enmity.

To exasperate the ways of death. --Sir T. Browne.

Syn: To irritate; provoke. See Irritate.

Irritate

Ir"ri*ta*ble\, a. [L. irritabilis: cf. F. irritable. See Irritate.]

1. Capable of being irriated.

2. Very susceptible of anger or passion; easily inflamed or exasperated; as, an irritable temper.

Vicious, old, and irritable. --Tennyson.

3. (Physiol.) Endowed with irritability; susceptible of irritation; capable of being excited to action by the application of certain stimuli.

4. (Med.) Susceptible of irritation; unduly sensitive to irritants or stimuli. See Irritation, n., 3.

Syn: Excitable; irascible; touchy; fretful; peevish.

Irritate

Ir"ri*tant\, a. [L. irritans, -antis, p. pr. of irritare: cf. F. irritant. See Irritate to excite.] Irritating; producing irritation or inflammation.

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