Definition of RANKLE

rankle

Meanings

Plural: rankles

Verb

  • gnaw into; make resentful or angry
    • "The injustice rankled her"
  • To cause irritation, bitterness or acrimony.
  • To fester.

Noun

  • A festering, embittering object or condition, either mental, or a physical sore or ulcer.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English ranklen, ranclen, from Old French rancler, räoncler, draoncler (“to ulcerate, to form a boil”), from Old French draoncle (“a boil”), from Latin dracunculus (“little serpent”), diminutive of Latin dracō (“serpent, dragon”).

Synonyms

eat into, embitter, fret, grate, irritate

Scrabble Score: 10

rankle is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
rankle is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
rankle is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

rankle is a valid Words With Friends word