to urticate
- verb
- /ˈɜːrtɪkeɪt/
- The nettles urticate anyone who brushes against them.
Examples
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He urticated his arm while gardening yesterday.
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Some caterpillars urticate predators with their tiny venomous hairs.
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Brushing against the plant will urticate the skin, leaving a painful rash.
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The jellyfish's tentacles can urticate swimmers, causing an intense burning sensation.
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Touching the plant will urticate your skin and cause a painful rash.
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The nettles in the garden can urticate anyone who brushes against them.
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If you accidentally urticate yourself, rinse the area with cool water.
Synonyms
To annoy or upset someone in a way that feels sharp
Antonyms
How Itchy
Surface Forms
Morphology
urticate = urtic + ate
The root 'urtic-' is a Latin combining form related to nettles and is not a productive or recognizable English base for most learners, so the meaning cannot be derived from its parts.
Etymology
Urticate comes from the Latin urtica, which means 'nettle', the stinging plant. So to urticate is to cause a sting or itchy rash, just like what happens when you touch a nettle.