irritably
UK[ˈɪrɪtəbli]US[ˈɪrɪtəbli]
adv
In a way that shows you are annoyed or easily made angry.
Morpheme Breakdown
irrit
able
ly
irrit
provoke
able
capable of
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word "irritably" originates from the Latin verb irritare, meaning "to excite, provoke, or annoy." This root passed into English as "irritate." The suffix -able was added to form the adjective "irritable," meaning "capable of being provoked" or "easily annoyed." Finally, the adverbial suffix -ly was appended, converting the adjective into the adverb "irritably," which describes the manner of acting with a tendency to be easily provoked or annoyed. The semantic journey reflects a shift from the external act of provoking to the internal, reactive state of being prone to annoyance.
Analysis
Structure: irrit (provoke) + able (capable of) + ly (adverb suffix)
irrit: From Latin irritare (to excite, provoke, annoy). It is the verb root.
able: From Latin -abilis, a suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of, fit for, tending to".
ly: From Old English -lice, an adverb-forming suffix meaning "in a manner of".
Examples
She sighed irritably when asked the same question for the third time.
The tired child rubbed his eyes irritably.
He answered the phone irritably, having been woken from a deep sleep.