irritant

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: ir=ri=tant

CIDE DICTIONARY

irritant, a. [LL. irritants, -antis, p. pr. of irritare to make null, fr. L. irritus void; pref. ir- not + ratus established.].

 Rendering null and void; conditionally invalidating.  [1913 Webster]
"The states elected Harry, Duke of Anjou, for their king, with this clause irritant; that, if he did violate any part of his oath, the people should owe him no allegiance."  [1913 Webster]

irritant, a. [L. irritans, -antis, p. pr. of irritare: cf. F. irritant. See Irritate to excite.].

 Irritating; producing irritation or inflammation.  [1913 Webster]

irritant, n. [Cf. F. irritant.].

•  That which irritates or excites.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any agent by which irritation is produced; as, a chemical irritant; a mechanical or electrical irritant.  [1913 Webster]
•  A poison that produces inflammation.  [1913 Webster]

Counter irritant. See under Counter. -- Pure irritant (Toxicology), a poison that produces inflammation without any corrosive action upon the tissues.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

irritant, adj. & n.
--adj. causing irritation.
--n. an irritant substance.

Derivative

irritancy n.