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ion noun [ORIGIN: Gk, neut. of iōn, prp. of ienai to go; so called because in electrolysis it goes to one of the two poles]

: an electrically charged particle, atom, or group of atoms

— ion·ic adjective

-ion noun suffix : act, process, state, or condition

ion·ise British variant of IONIZE

ion·ize verb ion·ized; ion·iz·ing 1 : to convert wholly or partly into ions

2 : to become ionized

— ion·iz·able adjective

— ion·iza·tion noun

— ion·iz·er noun

ion·o·sphere noun : the part of the earth's atmosphere extending from about 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the exosphere that contains ionized atmospheric gases

— ion·o·spher·ic adjective

IOOF abbreviation Independent Order of Odd Fellows

io·ta noun [ORIGIN: L, fr. Gk iōta]

1 : the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet — Ι or ι

2 : a very small quantity : JOT

IOU noun : an acknowledgment of a debt

IP abbreviation innings pitched

IP address noun [ORIGIN: Internet protocol]

: the numeric address of a computer on the Internet

ip·e·cac noun [ORIGIN: Pg ipecacuanha]

: an emetic and expectorant drug used esp. as a syrup in treating accidental poisoning; also : either of two tropical American plants or their rhizomes and roots used to make ipecac

IPO noun, plural IPOs : an initial public offering of a company's stock

ip·so fac·to adverb [ORIGIN: NL, lit., by the fact itself]

: by the very nature of the case

iq abbreviation [ORIGIN: L idem quod]

the same as

IQ noun : a number used to express a person's relative intelligence as determined by a standardized test

1Ir abbreviation Irish

2Ir symbol iridium

IR abbreviation infrared

1IRA noun [ORIGIN: individual retirement account]

: a retirement savings account in which income taxes are deferred until withdrawals are made

2IRA abbreviation Irish Republican Army

Ira·ni·an noun : a native or inhabitant of Iran

— Iranian adjective

Iraqi noun : a native or inhabitant of Iraq

— Iraqi adjective

iras·ci·ble adjective : marked by hot temper and easily provoked anger

Synonyms

choleric, crabby, cranky, cross, irritable, short-tempered, snappish, snappy, snippy, testy, waspish—more at IRRITABLE

iras·ci·bil·i·ty noun : the quality or state of being irascible : proneness to anger

irate adjective 1 : roused to ire

2 : arising from anger

— irate·ly adverb

Synonyms

angry, boiling, enraged, furious, rabid, sore—more at ANGRY

ire noun : intense and usu. openly displayed anger : ANGER, WRATH

Synonyms

anger, furor, fury, indignation, outrage, rage, spleen, wrath, wrathfulness—more at ANGER

Ire abbreviation Ireland

ire·ful adjective : full of ire : marked by ire; also : easily angered

ire·nic adjective : favoring, conducive to, or operating toward peace or conciliation

ir·i·des·cence noun : a rainbowlike play of colors

— ir·i·des·cent adjective

irid·i·um noun : a hard brittle heavy metallic chemical element

iris noun, plural iris·es also iri·des [ORIGIN: ME, fr. L iris rainbow, iris plant, fr. Gk, rainbow, iris plant, iris of the eye]

1 : the colored part around the pupil of the eye

2 : any of a large genus of plants with linear basal leaves and large showy flowers

Irish noun 1 Irish plural : the people of Ireland

2 : the Celtic language of Ireland

— Irish adjective

— Irish·man noun

— Irish·wom·an noun

Irish bull noun : an incongruous statement (as “it was hereditary in his family to have no children”)

Irish coffee noun : hot sugared coffee with Irish whiskey and whipped cream

Irish moss noun : the dried and bleached plants of a red alga that is a source of carrageenan; also : this red alga

Irish setter noun : any of a breed of hunting dogs with a mahogany-red coat

irk verb : to make weary, irritated, or bored : ANNOY

Synonyms

aggravate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, exasperate, gall, get, grate, irritate, nettle, peeve, persecute, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex—more at IRRITATE

irk·some adjective : tending to irk : ANNOYING

— irk