sensitive

English

Etymology

From Middle French sensitif, from Medieval Latin sensitivus.

Pronunciation

  • (US, UK) IPA(key): /ˈsɛnsɪtɪv/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Adjective

sensitive (comparative more sensitive, superlative most sensitive)

  1. having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses
    • 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford: Printed by Iohn Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, OCLC 216894069; The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd corrected and augmented edition, Oxford: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, 1624, OCLC 54573970, (please specify |partition=1, 2, or 3):
      , III.1.2.i:
      The sensitive faculty most part overrules reason, the soul is carried hoodwinked, and the understanding captive like a beast.
  2. Responsive to stimuli.
  3. (of a person) easily offended, upset or hurt
    Max is very sensitive; he cried today because of the bad news.
  4. (of an issue, topic, etc.) capable of offending, upsetting or hurting
    Religion is often a sensitive topic of discussion and should be avoided when dealing with foreign business associates.
  5. (of an instrument) accurate

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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Hyponyms

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Derived terms

Translations

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Noun

sensitive (plural sensitives)

  1. one with a paranormal sensitivity to something that most cannot perceive
    • 2003, Frederic W.H. Myers, Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death Part 2
      Swedenborg was one of the leading savants of Europe; it would be absurd to place any of our sensitives on the same intellectual level.

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /sɑ̃.si.tiv/

Adjective

sensitive

  1. feminine singular of sensitif

Noun

sensitive f (plural sensitives)

  1. sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica)

Further reading

Anagrams

Italian

Adjective

sensitive f pl

  1. Feminine plural of adjective sensitivo.

Anagrams

Latin

Adjective

sensitive

  1. vocative masculine singular of sensitivus

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

sensitive

  1. definite singular of sensitiv
  2. plural of sensitiv

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

sensitive

  1. definite singular of sensitiv
  2. plural of sensitiv
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