IRRITANT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does irritant mean? 

• IRRITANT (noun)
  The noun IRRITANT has 1 sense:

1. something that causes irritation and annoyance

  Familiarity information: IRRITANT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IRRITANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Something that causes irritation and annoyance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

irritant; thorn

Context example:

he's a thorn in my flesh

Hypernyms ("irritant" is a kind of...):

annoyance; bother; botheration; infliction; pain; pain in the ass; pain in the neck (something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness)

Derivation:

irritate (cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations)

 Context examples 

Harsh and raspy voice secondary to laryngeal infection, voice overuse, irritants inhalation, vocal cord paralysis, vocal cord polyps, and malignant neoplasms arising from or spreading to the larynx.

(Hoarseness, NCI Thesaurus)

Irritants and reagents for labeling terminal amino acid groups.

(Dinitrofluorobenzene, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A peroxide with antibacterial, irritant, keratolytic, comedolytic, and anti-inflammatory activity.

(Benzoyl Peroxide, NCI Thesaurus)

This traps the irritant next to the eye and may cause more damage.

(Eye Injuries, NIH)

A mild inflammatory tissue reaction; it can be caused by physical contact with an irritant or can be a local response to a systemic trigger.

(Irritation, NCI Thesaurus)

It filters the air you breathe, removing dust, germs, and irritants.

(Nose Injuries and Disorders, NIH)

Severe irritant and vesicant of skin, eyes, and lungs.

(Bischloroethylsulfide, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Contact dermatitis associated with allergens or irritants found in the workplace.

(Occupational Dermatitis, NCI Thesaurus)

Guaifenesin increases respiratory tract mucus secretions, acts as an irritant to gastric vagal receptors and recruits efferent parasympathetic reflexes that cause glandular exocytosis.

(Guaifenesin, NCI Thesaurus)

It may be caused by physical or chemical irritants, irradiation, infection, or neoplastic processes.

(Hyperkeratosis, NCI Thesaurus)