From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Irritability \Ir`ri*ta*bil"i*ty\, n. [L. irritabilitas: cf. F.
irritabilit['e].]
[1913 Webster]
1. The state or quality of being irritable; quick
excitability; petulance; fretfulness; as, irritability of
temper.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Physiol.) A natural susceptibility, characteristic of all
living organisms, tissues, and cells, to the influence of
certain stimuli, response being manifested in a variety of
ways, -- as that quality in plants by which they exhibit
motion under suitable stimulation; esp., the property
which living muscle possesses, of responding either to a
direct stimulus of its substance, or to the stimulating
influence of its nerve fibers, the response being
indicated by a change of form, or contraction;
contractility.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Med.) A condition of morbid excitability of an organ or
part of the body; undue susceptibility to the influence of
stimuli. See {Irritation}, n., 3.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
irritability
n 1: an irritable petulant feeling [syn: {irritability},
{crossness}, {fretfulness}, {fussiness}, {peevishness},
{petulance}, {choler}]
2: excessive sensitivity of an organ or body part [syn:
{excitability}, {irritability}]
3: a disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger; "his temper was
well known to all his employees" [syn: {temper},
{biliousness}, {irritability}, {peevishness}, {pettishness},
{snappishness}, {surliness}]
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