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irritable

irritable

adjective ee-ree-TAHBL Rare
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Origin: Latin irritabilis (easily provoked)

Usage Note

Irritable is invariable in gender and takes a regular plural irritables. It describes a person who is easily annoyed or a medical condition prone to inflammation — le syndrome du côlon irritable (irritable bowel syndrome). The verb irriter and noun irritation are frequently paired with it in health contexts.

Examples

"Il est irritable quand il manque de sommeil."

Natural Translation

He is irritable when he lacks sleep.

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