DictionaryRoot: irritare
Latin
irritare
excite, provoke
2 / 4
noun / adjective
irritant
IR-ih-tunt/ˈɪrɪtənt/
Something that provokes an uncomfortable response.
Etymology
The pieces describe something provoking or exciting a response. An adjective meaning “irritating” became a noun for the cause itself, whether it produces annoyance or physical inflammation.