irascible

[ih-ras-uh-buhl]

adjective

1. easily provoked to anger; very irritable.

   an irascible old man.

   Synonyms: short-tempered, choleric, peppery, touchy, testy
   Antonyms: even-tempered, calm

2. characterized or produced by anger.

   an irascible response.

   Synonyms: short-tempered, choleric, peppery, touchy, testy
   Antonyms: even-tempered, calm

irascible

/ ɪˈræsɪbəl /

adjective

1. easily angered; irritable

2. showing irritability

   an irascible action

Other Word Forms

• irascibility noun
• irascibly adverb
• irascibleness noun
• unirascibility noun
• unirascible adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of irascible¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English irascibel from Late Latin īrāscibilis, equivalent to Latin īrāsc- (stem of īrāscī “to grow angry”; equivalent to īr(a) ire + -ā- theme vowel + -sc- inchoative suffix + -ī infinitive ending; -esce ) + -ibilis -ible

Word History and Origins

Origin of irascible¹

C16: from Late Latin īrascibilis, from Latin īra anger

Synonym Study

See irritable.

Example Sentences

Off they go in an RV to hit some big amateur tournaments, accompanied by the kid’s mother and the old pro’s irascible buddy.

From Los Angeles Times

She’s fighting patriarchal powers greater than herself, but she’s not to be underestimated, even if the production doesn’t quite clarify why everyone is in love with this stunning if rather irascible and self-involved young woman.

From Los Angeles Times

“A person who would define not just the sound of underground music through the next two decades, but also its discourse — the irascible, outspoken, intelligent and relentlessly ethical Steve Albini.”

From Los Angeles Times

"We love him. He was intrepid, he was funny, he was gruff, he was irascible, he was beautiful."

From BBC

The club identifies, correctly, as a titan, and — under Pérez’s stewardship, in particular — it has taken great pride in living the values associated with the classical definition of that term: impetuous, impulsive, irascible.

From New York Times

Related Words

• cantankerous 
• cranky 
• feisty 
• grouchy 
• passionate 
• surly 
• testy 
• uptight