Definition of the word irritable

The word "irritable" originates from the Latin word "irritabilis," which means "capable of being provoked" or "easily provoked." This Latin root can be traced back to the prefix "irri-," which signifies "opposite of" or "irregular," and the suffix "-tabilis," which means "able to be" or "having the quality of." In Old French, the word for "irritable" was "iritable" or "iritabilis," which passed into Old English as "īretbil." Over time, the spelling changed, and by the 14th century, the Middle English form of the word became "iritabil." During the Renaissance, when Latin became more widely studied, the Latin root returned to English as the prefix "irr-" or "irrit-," as seen in words like "irrigate," "irrational," and "irregular." In this context, the suffix "-able" took on a new meaning, indicating the potentiality of a noun, rather than its intrinsic quality. By the 17th century, "irritable" had established itself as a descriptive adjective in English, denoting a person or thing that is easily agitated or provoked. Overall, the path of "irritable" from its Latin root can be traced as a testament to the historical and linguistic exchange between Latin, Old English, and Middle English, illustrating the ongoing evolution of the English language.