itch

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪt͡ʃ/ See IPA manual

Homophones

ich /ɪtʃ/

Freq #10465

Meanings

1

verb
To have an uncomfortable feeling on the skin that makes you want to scratch

My arm itches where the mosquito bit me.
2

verb
To have a strong desire to do something

The children were itching to open their presents.
3

noun
An uncomfortable feeling on the skin that makes you want to scratch

I have an itch on my back that I can't reach.
4

noun
A strong desire to do something

He felt an itch to travel and see the world.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

yeukyuckyuik

Word family

Forms itcheditchesitching

Derived forms antiitchitcheritchlessitchlikeitchsomeitchweeditchy

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

jock itch
A fungal skin infection affecting the groin, commonly causing itching and a rash.

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English icchen, ȝicchen, from Old English ġiċċan, ġyċċan (“to itch”), from Proto-West Germanic *jukkjan (“to itch”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots yeuk (“to itch”), West Frisian jûkje (“to itch”), Dutch jeuken (“to itch”), Low German jocken (“to itch”), German jucken (“to itch”).

icchen Middle English ġiċċan Old English *jukkjan Proto-West Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# itch

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪt͡ʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 10465

## Meanings
1. To have an uncomfortable feeling on the skin that makes you want to scratch
2. To have a strong desire to do something
3. An uncomfortable feeling on the skin that makes you want to scratch
4. A strong desire to do something

## Examples
- My arm itches where the mosquito bit me.
- The children were itching to open their presents.
- I have an itch on my back that I can't reach.
- He felt an itch to travel and see the world.

## Synonyms
- yeuk
- yuck
- yuik

## Derived Forms
- antiitch
- itcher
- itchless
- itchlike
- itchsome
- itchweed
- itchy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: icchen
- Root: ġiċċan
- Root: *jukkjan

## Etymology
From Middle English icchen, ȝicchen, from Old English ġiċċan, ġyċċan (“to itch”), from Proto-West Germanic *jukkjan (“to itch”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots yeuk (“to itch”), West Frisian jûkje (“to itch”), Dutch jeuken (“to itch”), Low German jocken (“to itch”), German jucken (“to itch”).

## AI Etymology
Itch comes from Middle English icchen, ȝicchen, from Old English ġiċċan, ġyċċan (“to itch”), from Proto-West Germanic *jukkjan (“to itch”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots yeuk (“to itch”), West Frisian jûkje (“to itch”), Dutch jeuken (“to itch”), Low German jocken (“to itch”), German jucken (“to itch”).

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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