Other forms: vexations
Vexation is annoyance and irritation. A source of vexation, much to his vexation, endless vexation.
It is milder and more old-fashioned than anger and suits small persistent troubles. In law, a vexatious claim is one brought to harass rather than to win, and a court can bar somebody from bringing more.
1nounvexationAnnoyance and irritation.
“To her vexation, the train was delayed again, and she missed the start of the meeting.”
vexation is an annoyance.
Latin vexatio comes from vexare, to shake or harass.
Proto-Indo-European
*weǵʰ-
Latin
vexātiō — shaking or similar violent movement; (causing of) agitation, distress, suffering; harassment, persecution; trouble
Old French
vexacion
Middle French
vexacion
Anglo-Norman
vexacion
Middle English
vexacioun
English, today
vexation
Built from
From Late Middle English vexacioun, vexation (“physical suffering; act of inflicting trouble (specifically through unjustified legal action); anxiety, mental distress; mental disturbance”), from Anglo-Norman vexacion, vexation, Middle French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment (specifically through unjustified legal action)”), and Old French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment”) (modern French vexation), and from their etymon Latin vexātiō (“shaking or similar violent movement; (causing of) agitation, distress, suffering; harassment, persecution; trouble”), from vexātus + -iō. Vexātus is the perfect passive participle of vexō (“to shake or jolt violently; to annoy, harass; to persecute; to trouble violently”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ-. by surface analysis, vex + -ation. a doublet of quake.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA