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Entry 5 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Irritant

/ĭr'-ət-ənt/ · Ir·ri·tant · IPA /ˈɪɹɪtənt/
01 a. Rendering null and void; conditionally invalidating.
  1. 1.
    Rendering null and void; conditionally invalidating.(Scots Law)
    “The states elected Harry, Duke of Anjou, for their king, with this clause irritant; that, if he did violate any part of his oath, the people should owe him no allegiance.” — Hayward.
02 a. Irritating; producing irritation or inflammation.
  1. 1.
    Irritating; producing irritation or inflammation.
03 n. That which irritates or excites.
  1. 1.
    That which irritates or excites.
  2. 2.
    Any agent by which irritation is produced; as, a chemical irritant; a mechanical or electrical irritant.(Physiol. & Med.)
  3. 3.
    A poison that produces inflammation.(Toxicology)
Phrases & compounds
Counter irritant — See under Counter.
Pure irritant — a poison that produces inflammation without any corrosive action upon the tissues.