Irritant: meaning, definitions and examples

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irritant

 

[ ˈɪrɪtənt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

chemical

A substance that causes irritation or inflammation of a living tissue when it comes in contact with it.

Synonyms

aggravator, irritator, provocateur

Examples of usage

  • The skin cream contained an irritant that caused a rash.
  • Be careful when handling this chemical as it is known to be an irritant.
Context #2 | Noun

general

A person or thing that annoys or provokes others.

Synonyms

annoyance, bother, nuisance

Examples of usage

  • He can be such an irritant with his constant complaints.
  • The constant noise from the construction site was becoming an irritant to the residents.

Translations

Translations of the word "irritant" in other languages:

🇵🇹 irritante

🇮🇳 चिढ़ाने वाला

🇩🇪 Reizstoff

🇮🇩 iritan

🇺🇦 подразник

🇵🇱 drażniący

🇯🇵 刺激物 (しげきぶつ)

🇫🇷 irritant

🇪🇸 irritante

🇹🇷 tahriş edici

🇰🇷 자극제

🇸🇦 مهيج

🇨🇿 dráždivý

🇸🇰 dráždivý

🇨🇳 刺激物 (cìjī wù)

🇸🇮 dražljiv

🇮🇸 ertandi

🇰🇿 тітіркендіргіш

🇬🇪 გაღიზიანება

🇦🇿 qıcıqlandırıcı

🇲🇽 irritante

Word origin

The word 'irritant' originated in the late 17th century from the Latin word 'irritant-' (stem of irritans), present participle of irritare, meaning 'to excite, provoke, irritate'. The term was initially used in the context of medicine to describe substances that cause irritation or inflammation.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #17,766, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.