irritant

American  

[ir-i-tnt] / ˈɪr ɪ tnt /

adjective

1. tending to cause irritation; irritating. irritating.

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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 British  

/ ˈɪrɪtənt /

adjective

1. causing irritation; irritating

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noun

1. something irritant

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of irritant

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

Compare meaning

How does irritant compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• vesicant vs. irritant

Example Sentences

West Germany, Japan and later South Korea all did the same, eventually running up surpluses that became longstanding irritants with the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From 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.

From 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.

From 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.

From Salon