Causing annoyance, displeasure, or mild anger; having the quality of irritation.
From Latin irritatus, past participle of irritare meaning 'to excite, provoke'. Originally had medical connotations of inflammation or sensitivity. Extended to psychological annoyance in the 16th century, showing how physical and emotional irritation share conceptual space.
The connection between physical and emotional irritation runs deep in language - we describe annoying people as 'getting under our skin' or being 'abrasive.' This shows how our brains process social discomfort using the same metaphors as physical discomfort.
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