When rankle was first used in English, it meant "to fester," and that meaning is related to French words referring to a sore and tracing to Latin dracunculus. The Latin is from draco, the word …

RANKLE definition: (of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful. See examples of rankle used in a …

It's one that will rankle and stay with theater owners for some time and, for all its anomalies, embolden other studios to explore similar options.

If an event or situation rankles, it makes you feel angry or bitter afterwards, because you think it was unfair or wrong. They paid him only £10 for it and it really rankled. [VERB] Britain's refusal …

To feel or express irritation or resentment about something: She rankled at what she considered to be unfair criticism. 3. To become sore or inflamed; fester: a wound that rankled. To cause …

Definition of rankle verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Dec 2, 2025 · rankle (plural rankles) (rare) A festering, embittering object or condition, either mental, or a physical sore or ulcer. [1] quotations

Rankle is a cranky-sounding verb that means to eat away at or aggravate to the point of causing anger. If you want to rankle a cat, try splashing it with water and then putting it in the bathtub.

rankle meaning, definition, what is rankle: if something rankles, you still remember...: Learn more.

To feel or express irritation or resentment about something. She rankled at what she considered to be unfair criticism. To fester; become or make inflamed. To cause (someone) to feel irritated …