prikkelbare

Prikkelbaar is a Dutch adjective meaning easily irritated or responsive to stimuli. It is formed from the noun prikkel (stimulus) and the suffix -baar, meaning capable of. The term is used in two broad senses.

In everyday language, prikkelbaar describes a person or mood: someone who becomes irritated or reactive quickly under stress. It can convey moodiness, impatience, or low tolerance for frustration.

In physiology and biology, prikkelbaar refers to tissue, cells, or nerves that are able to respond to stimuli; i.e., excitable. Prikkelbaarheid (the corresponding noun) denotes the excitability or responsiveness of a biological system. This sense is common in descriptions of nerve or muscle tissue, where cells generate electrical or mechanical responses to stimuli.

Common collocations include prikkelbare zenuw (irritable nerve), prikkelbare cellen (excitable cells), and prikkelbaarheid of the zenuwstelsel. The term is generally neutral, though in informal speech it can carry evaluative tones when describing temperament.

See also: excitability, irritability, nerve physiology, sensory processing.