Abirritate

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To calm or soothe an irritated tissue, nerve, or organ so that it becomes less sensitive and reactive
2. Making inflamed or sensitized body parts less responsive, typically through a soothing or sedating agent
3. Reducing the excitability and sensitivity of a tissue, especially a mucous membrane, by means of a soothing treatment

Etymology: "Abirritate" is a plain English formation: the prefix "ab-" joined to "irritate." The prefix traces back through Latin "ab" ("away from," "off") to a very old root meaning "off" or "away," which is why the word's sense works by reversal: to abirritate is to take irritation away, to soothe or reduce an irritated state, most often of tissue or nerves. The prefix does the real work here. "Irritate" itself comes from Latin "irritare," meaning to excite or provoke, and English took that base as a whole. Adding "ab-" reverses the direction, so the word describes calming rather than provoking, a neat opposite built from parts that are themselves ordinary.

Synonyms: soothe, calm, pacify

Antonyms: irritate, provoke, inflame