irritant

[ir-i-tnt]

adjective

1. tending to cause irritation; irritating. irritating.

noun

1. anything that irritates.

2. Physiology, Pathology.,  a biological, chemical, or physical agent that stimulates a characteristic function or elicits a response, especially an inflammatory response.

irritant

/ ˈɪrɪtənt /

adjective

1. causing irritation; irritating

noun

1. something irritant

Other Word Forms

• irritancy noun
• nonirritancy noun
• nonirritant adjective
• unirritant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of irritant¹

1630–40; < Latin irrītant- (stem of irrītāns ), present participle of irrītāre to irritate; -ant

Example Sentences

It is an amalgam of microeconomic irritants that vary by individual, time and place.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The two leaders directed their officials "to move quickly to resolve outstanding trade issues and irritants," according to a readout released by Carney's office after the meeting.

Read more on BBC

The deal is largely a return to the fragile truce of earlier in the year—with many of the potential irritants in the intensifying relationship still looming.

Read more on Barron's

“The movie is the convergence of those big tragedies that happen to us and those everyday irritants,” Bronstein says during a recent conversation.

Read more on Salon

The move would revive an old trade irritant between the countries, adding to the recent moves on tariffs and export controls on critical industries that both countries have deployed in recent months.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal