Pruritic: meaning, definitions and examples

Use in medical or scientific settings to describe a condition that causes an urge to scratch due to inflammation or irritation.

• The patient has been diagnosed with a pruritic rash caused by an allergic reaction

More commonly used in everyday language to describe the feeling that makes you want to scratch your skin.

• After walking through the grass, my legs felt really itchy
• The mosquito bites were very itchy

Used to describe a surface or material that feels rough against the skin or to describe a slightly annoying sound.

• The old, scratchy blanket made it hard to fall asleep
• Her voice sounded a bit scratchy after the long concert

Commonly used to describe something that causes annoyance, discomfort, or mild pain. This can be physical or emotional.

• The wool sweater was very irritating to his skin
• Her constant humming was quite irritating