Etymology
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irritating (adj.)

"that causes annoyance," 1707, present-participle adjective from irritate (v.). Related: Irritatingly. Earlier adjective forms were irritative (1680s), irritatory (1650s).

Entries linking to irritating

irritate (v.)

1530s, "stimulate to action, rouse, incite," from Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare "excite, provoke, annoy;" according to de Vaan, probably a verb from Proto-Italic *rito- "stirred," from the same PIE root that produced English run (v.). Meaning "annoy, make impatient" in English is from 1590s. The earlier verb in English was irrite (mid-15c.), from Old French irriter. Related: Irritated; irritating.

updated on January 08, 2016

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Dictionary entries near irritating

irrisory

irritability

irritable

irritant

irritate

irritating

irritation

irrumation

irrupt

irruption

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