Agita is a slang word that can describe a feeling of anxiety or the indigestion that comes from eating too much spicy food. It is also used to describe a general feeling of upset or nervousness. The word is derived from the Italian "agitare" meaning "to agitate". It first appeared in American English in the early 1980s and was primarily used by Italian-American and Yiddish-speaking New Yorkers. The word AGITA has appeared in the New York Times Crossword 17 times since its debut in 1994.