Irascible
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /ɪˈɹæs.ɪ.bəl/, /ɪˈɹæs.ə.bəl/
- Rhymes: -ɪbəl
Origin
From French irascible, from Late Latin Ä«rÄscibilis.
Full definition of irascible
Adjective
irascible
- Easily provoked to outbursts of anger; irritable.
- 1809, Washington Irving, Knickerbocker's History of New York, ch. 16:. . . the surly and irascible passions which, like belligerent powers, lie encamped around the heart.
- 1863, Louisa May Alcott, Hospital Sketches, ch. 1:I am naturally irascible, and if I could have shaken this negative gentleman vigorously, the relief would have been immense.
- 1921, William Butler Yeats, Four Years, ch. 10:. . . a never idle man of great physical strength and extremely irascible—did he not fling a badly baked plum pudding through the window upon Xmas Day?
- 2004 Feb. 29, Daniel Kadlec, "Why He's Meanspan," Time:Alan Greenspan was on an irascible roll last week, first dissing everyone who holds a fixed-rate mortgage — suckers! — and later picking on folks who collect Social Security: Get back to work, Grandma.