irascible

adjective

iras·​ci·​ble i-ˈra-sə-bəl How to pronounce irascible (audio)
: marked by hot temper and easily provoked anger
irascibility noun
irascibleness noun
irascibly adverb

Did you know?

Irascible Has an Angry History

If you try to take apart irascible on the model of irrational, irresistible, and irresponsible you might find yourself wondering what ascible means—but that's not how irascible came to be. The key to the meaning of irascible isn't the negating prefix ir- (which is the form of the prefix in- that is used before words beginning with "r"), but rather the Latin noun ira, meaning "anger." From ira, which is also the root of irate and ire, came the Latin verb irasci ("to become angry") and the related adjective irascibilis, the latter of which led to the French word irascible. English speakers borrowed the word from French in the 16th century.

Examples of irascible in a Sentence

an irascible old football coach He has an irascible disposition.
Recent Examples on the Web As a fiery academic dealing with unsuspecting success, Wright out-curmudgeons the mighty Giamatti, gives an irascible grump a big heart, and, as one of our great character actors, makes the most of his spotlight. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 Others, like his irascible Celebrity Jeopardy standout Sean Connery, are the uncanny product of masterful tinkering, with Hammond eventually stretching the real and the perceived into a shape as recognizable as the actual figure himself. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2023 Lawyers arrange moot courts in advance to prepare for a grilling by three smart, occasionally irascible federal judges, egged on by opposing counsel. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 13 Jan. 2024 The more queries Elon Musk fielded about price cuts during his recent third-quarter investor call, the more irascible the Tesla CEO became. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2023 Oldman, who recently earned a Golden Globe nod for his performance in the show as irascible spook Jackson Lamb, will return alongside Kristin Scott Thomas, who plays MI5 second desk Diana Taverner, Jack Lowden as espionage nepo baby River Cartwright and Christopher Chung as cocky geek Roddy Ho. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 2 Jan. 2024 Shane MacGowan, the irascible frontman of beloved Irish rock band the Pogues, died in his sleep this morning (Nov. 30) at the age of 65. Spin Staff, SPIN, 30 Nov. 2023 Bogart was a drinker and an irascible loner, but these defects only burnished his legend. Andrew O’Hagan, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023 Not all of Reeves’ companions are irascible older white men. Alison Herman, Variety, 3 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'irascible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Late Latin irascibilis, from Latin irasci to become angry, be angry, from ira

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of irascible was circa 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Irascible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irascible. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

irascible

adjective
iras·​ci·​ble ir-ˈas-ə-bəl How to pronounce irascible (audio)
: having a hot temper and easily angered
irascibility noun
irascibly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on irascible

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