What does "irritant" mean?
Irritant: That which irritates or excites.
Additional senses
- 2.(Physiol. & Med.) Any agent by which irritation is produced; as, a chemical irritant; a mechanical or electrical irritant.
- 3.(Toxicology) A poison that produces inflammation. Counter irritant. See under Counter. -- Pure irritant (Toxicology), a poison that produces inflammation without any corrosive action upon the tissues.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-irritant-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00