counterirritant

American  

[koun-ter-ir-i-tuhnt] / ˌkaʊn tərˈɪr ɪ tənt /

noun

1. Medicine/Medical. an agent for producing inflammation in superficial tissues to relieve pain or inflammation in deeper structures.

2. any irritation or annoyance that draws attention away from another.

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adjective

1. Medicine/Medical. of or acting as a counterirritant.

counterirritant British  

/ ˌkaʊntərˈɪrɪtənt /

noun

1. an agent that causes a superficial irritation of the skin and thereby relieves inflammation of deep structures

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adjective

1. producing a counterirritation

Other Word Forms

• counterirritation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of counterirritant

First recorded in 1850–55; counter- + irritant

Example Sentences

Menthol is a counterirritant, which relieves underlying pain near the site of application by causing irritation at the surface.

From The Guardian • Jan. 16, 2013

Despite President Roosevelt's fervid interest in naval shipbuilding as a counterirritant to unemployment, the U. S. will not be up to Treaty par before 1939.

From Time Magazine Archive

Ian Fleming made this first excursion into adventure fiction "as a counterirritant or antibody to my hysterical alarm at getting married at the age of 43."

From Time Magazine Archive

Well, you take the two pails of ice water, throw a little dirt in them, to act as a counterirritant, strip, and stand with one foot in each pail.

From Time Magazine Archive

Apply strong counterirritant to chest and put seton in dewlap.

From Special Report on Diseases of Cattle by United States. Bureau of Animal Industry

Related Words

• balm
• lotion