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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
Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Nothing adds depth to an irascible curmudgeon quite like an irrational love of pets that do not love you back.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025
Toby Huss — who voiced the Hills' abrasive neighbor, Kahn, and Hank's irascible father, Cotton — will take over as the voice of Dale in subsequent episodes.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 30 May 2025
Hence, in this digital age when many people no longer stock postage stamps or envelopes or have any idea where their nearest postal box might be, only the most irascible of curmudgeons would make the effort.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for irascible
Cite this Entry
“Irascible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irascible. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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