rankle

verb

ran·​kle ˈraŋ-kəl 

rankled; rankling ˈraŋ-k(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

: to cause anger, irritation, or deep bitterness

2

: to feel anger and irritation

transitive verb

: to cause irritation or bitterness in

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The Connection Between Rankle and Dragon

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 for a serpent and the source of English's dragon. The transition from serpents to sores is apparently from people associating the appearance of certain ulcers or tumors to small serpents.

Synonyms

• steam
• rage
• burn
• boil
• storm
• seethe
• shake
• foam
• fume

Examples of rankle in a Sentence

The joke about her family rankled her.

that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle

Recent Examples on the Web

For one, many of the buildings on the market today were shuttered by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who in 2013 approved the closure of 50 public schools, a decision that rankles many to this day. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025

But Davidson said the Palantir news has rankled a broader coalition of civil liberties-minded GOP lawmakers. —Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 5 June 2025

Whitmer addressed the joint appearance, which rankled some Democrats, during the new podcast interview. —Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 1 May 2025

Lake Brantley was also rankled No. 21 nationally by MaxPreps today. —Robert Clark, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ranclen to fester, from Anglo-French rancler, from Old French draoncler, raoncler, from draoncle, raoncle festering sore, from Medieval Latin dracunculus, from Latin, diminutive of draco serpent — more at dragon

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for rankle

• ankle

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Kids Definition

rankle

verb

ran·​kle ˈraŋ-kəl 

rankled; rankling -k(ə-)liŋ 

: to cause anger, irritation, or deep bitterness

Etymology

Middle English ranclen "to fester," from early French rancler (same meaning), derived from earlier draoncle, raoncle "a festering sore," from Latin dracunculus "little serpent, little dragon," from earlier draco "serpent, dragon," from Greek drākon "serpent, dragon" — related to dragon

Word Origin

The Greek word drakōn, meaning "serpent, dragon," was borrowed into Latin as draco. Later, the noun dracunculus, meaning "little serpent," was formed from draco. The French borrowed this noun as draoncle or raoncle but used it for "a festering sore or ulcer." It seems that the form of such a sore looked something like the form of a small serpent. From the noun the French formed the verb rancler, "to fester." In the 14th century, the verb was taken into English as rankle, with the same meaning. Our word dragon also comes from the Greek drakōn by way of the Latin draco.