irritation

UK: /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃən/ ,(ir′i tā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ir•ri•ta•tion /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃən/   n. 

1. [uncountable] a feeling of annoyance, anger, or impatience.
2. something that causes such a feeling of anger, annoyance, or impatience:
   [countable] Those troublemakers are just minor irritations.
3. [uncountable] a feeling of scratchiness, itchiness, or other discomfort on the skin or some part of the body.
4. an area of soreness or inflammation:
   [countable] an irritation on my leg.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ir•ri•ta•tion  (ir′i tā′shən), n. 

1. the act of irritating or the state of being irritated.
2. something that irritates.
3. Pathology, Physiology [Physiol., Pathol.]
   • the bringing of a bodily part or organ to an abnormally excited or sensitive condition.
   • the condition itself.

• Latin irrītātiōn- (stem of irrītātiō). See irritate, -ion
• 1580–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

irritation / ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃən/ noun

1. something that irritates
2. the act of irritating or the condition of being irritated

ˈirriˌtative adjective