irritability
Americannoun
plural
irritabilities-
the quality or state of being irritable.
-
Physiology, Biology. the ability to be excited to a characteristic action or function by the application of some stimulus.
Protoplasm displays irritability by responding to heat.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irritability
From the Latin word irrītābilitās, dating back to 1745–55. See irritable, -ity
Vocabulary lists containing irritability
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The most significant training film he made is one called "Combat Fatigue Irritability."
From Fox News • Nov. 25, 2021
Irritability and mood swings can be a precursor of RED-S, so Fleshman, who has a bachelor’s degree in human biology and a masters in education, talks often to her athletes about their energy and mood.
From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2020
Irritability and anxiety are the most commonly seen emotional effects of caffeine, but caffeine enables all of your emotions to take charge.
From Time • Feb. 20, 2015
Irritability can be a symptom of mania and anger appears in addicts, but similar to characteristics like narcissism, grandiosity and denial, they are not specific to nor necessary for either addiction or mania.
From Time • Mar. 1, 2011
Immediately over the ear is the region of Irritability, the antagonist of Patience.
From Buchanan's Journal of Man, November 1887 Volume 1, Number 10 by Buchanan, Joseph R. (Joseph Rodes)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
