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Added 8 October 2026

agitate

/ˈæ.d͡ʒɪ.teɪt/ verb

In Latin: turbō Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about agitate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To disturb or excite; to perturb or stir up (a person). .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
He was greatly agitated by the news.
To cause to move with a violent, irregular action; to shake.
to agitate water in a vessel
To participate in political agitation (sense 3).

Origin

From Middle English agitat(e) (“set in motion”), borrowed from Latin agitātus, perfect passive participle of agitō (“to put in motion”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), frequentative of agō (“to drive, move, push”), see -tō. Cognate with French agiter. See also act and agent.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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