Itchy
adj ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 Characterized by itching. (of a condition)
"an itchy rash"
- 2 Feeling an itching sensation; feeling a need to be scratched. (of a person, animal or body part)
"My nose always gets itchy the moment I put on my face mask."
- 3 Causing an itching sensation.
"He refuses to wear the new sweater; he says it’s itchy."
- 4 In a state of agitation; easily alarmed. figuratively
"Casy said softly, “All of ’em’s itchy. Them cops been sayin’ how they’re gonna beat the hell outa us an’ run us outa the county. […]”"
- 5 Having a constant, teasing desire (for something, to do something); impatiently eager. figuratively
"Who simply stares and listens / Tongue-tied, while eye nor glistens / Nor brow grows hot and twitchy, / Nor mouth, for a combat itchy, / Quivers with some convincing / Reply"
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- 6 Causing a constant, teasing desire for something. figuratively
"They are curious with the itchy curiosity of their explorative time of life, and they have no proper guidance."
- 7 Feeling or showing a high level of sexual interest. derogatory, figuratively, obsolete
"Car[dochia]. That slave in obscene language courted me, / Drew reals out, and would have bought my body, / Diego, from thee. / Die[go]. Is he so itchy? I'll cure him."
- 1 causing an irritating cutaneous sensation; being affect with an itch wordnet
- 2 nervous and unable to relax wordnet
Example
More examples"Chicken pox is an itchy nuisance for kids."
Etymology
From Middle English *yicchy, *ȝicchi, from Old English ġiċċiġ (“itchy”), equivalent to itch + -y. Cognate with Scots yeukie (“itchy”), West Frisian jokkerich (“itchy”), Dutch jeukachtig and jeukerig (“itchy”).
Related phrases
More for "itchy"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.