counterirritant

American  

[koun-ter-ir-i-tuhnt] / ˌkaʊn tərˈɪr ɪ tənt /

noun

1. Medicine/Medical. an agent for producing inflammation in superficial tissues to relieve pain or inflammation in deeper structures.

2. any irritation or annoyance that draws attention away from another.

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adjective

1. Medicine/Medical. of or acting as a counterirritant.

counterirritant British  

/ ˌkaʊntərˈɪrɪtənt /

noun

1. an agent that causes a superficial irritation of the skin and thereby relieves inflammation of deep structures

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adjective

1. producing a counterirritation

Other Word Forms

• counterirritation noun

Etymology

Origin of counterirritant

First recorded in 1850–55; counter- + irritant

Example Sentences

Menthol is a counterirritant, which relieves underlying pain near the site of application by causing irritation at the surface.

From The Guardian • Jan. 16, 2013

Ian Fleming made this first excursion into adventure fiction "as a counterirritant or antibody to my hysterical alarm at getting married at the age of 43."

From Time Magazine Archive

Well, you take the two pails of ice water, throw a little dirt in them, to act as a counterirritant, strip, and stand with one foot in each pail.

From Time Magazine Archive

In desperation, he learned how to tickle his nose until he sneezed, which helped somewhat as a counterirritant.

From Time Magazine Archive

This is a counterirritant and often used for goitre.

From Mother's Remedies Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers of the United States and Canada by Ritter, Thomas Jefferson

Related Words

• balm
• lotion