sensitive en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (General-American) audio
- /ˈsɪn.sɪt.ɪv/ (pin-pen-merger)
- (Southern-England) audio
- [ˈsɪn.sɪɾ.ɪv] (pin-pen-merger)
- /ˈsɛn.sɪt.ɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- [ˈsɛn.sɪɾ.ɪv] (General-American)
- sĕn'sĭtĭv (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈsɛn.sɪt.ɪv/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle French sensitif, from Medieval Latin sensitivus. By surface analysis, sense + -ite + -ive.
Meanings
-
Having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses.
The sensitive faculty most part overrules reason, the soul is carried hoodwinked, and the understanding captive like a beast.
1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition III, section 1, member 2, subsection i:
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Responsive to stimuli.
The engine seemed a little sensitive to wet rails, and in consequence the uphill work was not so good north of Dundee as it had been earlier. But I have noted this same "touchiness" on the part of the "A4s", and other modern British 4-6-2s, so that in this respect No. 2006 proved no exception.
1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 9:
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(of a person) Easily offended, upset, or hurt.
Max is very sensitive; he cried today because of the bad news.
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(of an issue, qualifier:topic, usually) Capable of offending, upsetting, or hurting.
Religion is often a sensitive topic of discussion and should be avoided when dealing with foreign business associates.
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Meant to be concealed or kept secret.
These are highly sensitive documents.
Xeltan: I cannot speak more about this problem; it is too sensitive. Suffice it to say, she has compromised my authority as a diplomat.
2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:
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Being aware of the feelings of others and taking care not to offend them.
Thank you for being sensitive.
-
Important, intricate, and requiring great delicacy.
The president's untimely statement disrupted some very sensitive negotiations.
- (of an instrument) Accurate; able to register small changes in some property.
- (archaic) Having paranormal abilities that can be controlled through mesmerism.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most sensitive | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| sensative | alternative, archaic | lexicographic | |
| more sensitive | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
nonsensitive · uncaring · resistant · stoic · insensitive
Deriveds
magnetosensitive · sensitive compartmented information · triplosensitive · subsensitive · pseudosensitive · somatosensitive · ecosensitive · chemosensitive · metabosensitive · osmosensitive · thermohygrosensitive · hygrosensitive · meteorosensitive · sensitive female chord progression · radiosensitive · ultrasensitive · highly sensitive person · viscerosensitive · sensitiveness · sensitivity · context-sensitive · undersensitive · phosphosensitive · photosensitive · pansensitive · Sensex · piezosensitive · sensitive fern · cold-sensitive · oversensitive · immunosensitive · sensitive pea · hydrosensitive · sensitive style · hemosensitive · hyposensitive · electrosensitive · cryosensitive · mechanosensitive · pharmacosensitive · sensitivize · psychrosensitive · serosensitive · case sensitive · extrasensitive · morphosensitive · barosensitive · thermosensitive · supersensitive · pressure-sensitive · unsensitive · sensitize · sensitively
Hyponyms
hypersensitive · light-sensitive · time-sensitive
Relateds
Synonyms
compassionate · nesh · classified · caring · precise · aware · tender
Translations (164)
ru чувстви́тельный (easily offended) · fi herkkä (responsive to stimuli) · hy զգայուն (responsive to stimuli) · fi herkkä (easily offended) · eu hunkibera (easily offended) · pt sensível (responsive to stimuli) · tr darılgan (easily offended) · ru чувстви́тельный (responsive to stimuli) · uk чутки́й (responsive to stimuli) · pt sensível (accurate) · sk citlivý (responsive to stimuli) · unm amatamàlsi (easily offended) · fr sensible (responsive to stimuli) · fi arkaluonteinen (capable of offending) · mi rahirahi (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · vi nhạy cảm (responsive to stimuli) · be чуллі́вы (responsive to stimuli) · hu finom (accurate) · da følsom (responsive to stimuli) · es sensitivo (responsive to stimuli) · hu fogékony (responsive to stimuli) · gl sensíbel (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · de empfindlich (responsive to stimuli) · el αισθητικός (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · nl prikkelbaar (responsive to stimuli) · tl matugunin (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · hu kényes (capable of offending) · cs senzitivní (easily offended) · it sensibile (responsive to stimuli) · ru то́чный (accurate) · es sensible (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · ca delicat (capable of offending) · pl czuły (responsive to stimuli) · uk чутли́вий (responsive to stimuli) · grc αἰσθητικός (responsive to stimuli) · hu érzékeny (responsive to stimuli) · de sensibel (responsive to stimuli) · el εύθικτος (easily offended) · ceb sensitib (easily offended) · eo sentema (easily offended) · fi herkkä (capable of offending) · ru конфиденциа́льный (capable of offending) · fi aistiherkkä (responsive to stimuli) · nv baa hastiʼ (easily offended) · gl sensíbel (accurate) · ru чу́ткий (responsive to stimuli) · ro sensibil (responsive to stimuli) · ro simțitor (easily offended) · ja 敏感な (responsive to stimuli) · fi arka (easily offended) · ru щекотливый (capable of offending) · uk чу́лий (responsive to stimuli) · ca sensible (easily offended) · no følsom (responsive to stimuli) · bg прецизен (accurate) · cmn 敏感 (responsive to stimuli) · tr ince (capable of offending) · fi aisti- (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · tr hassas (capable of offending) · gl sensíbel (responsive to stimuli) · be чу́ткі (responsive to stimuli) · eu sentibera (easily offended) · cs citlivý (responsive to stimuli) · sv känslig (easily offended) · ceb sensitib (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · ro sensibil (easily offended) · el ευαίσθητος (accurate) · be чу́лы (responsive to stimuli) · it ricettivo (responsive to stimuli) · sv känslig (accurate) · ro sensibil (accurate) · izh herkkä (responsive to stimuli) · hu érzékeny (accurate) · id baper (easily offended) · gl susceptíbel (easily offended) · gl delicada (capable of offending) · izh hellä (responsive to stimuli) · ro receptiv (easily offended) · hu érzékelő (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · cs citlivý (accurate) · sh razdražljiv (easily offended) · nl lichtgeraakt (responsive to stimuli) · ceb sensitibo (responsive to stimuli) · ar حَسَّاس (responsive to stimuli) · hu érzékeny (easily offended) · az həssas (responsive to stimuli) · eo sentiva (responsive to stimuli) · es sensible (accurate) · pt sensitivo (responsive to stimuli) · ca sensible (responsive to stimuli) · ko 민감하다 (responsive to stimuli) · pt sensível (easily offended) · mi āritarita (easily offended) · ar حَسَّاس (easily offended) · ro impresionabil (responsive to stimuli) · it delicato (capable of offending) · ceb sensitibo (capable of offending) · sl občutljiv (responsive to stimuli) · ru чувстви́тельный (accurate) · gl sensíbel (easily offended) · el ευαίσθητος (capable of offending) · pl wrażliwy (responsive to stimuli) · sl občutljiv (easily offended) · is viðkvæmur (responsive to stimuli) · nl gevoelig (responsive to stimuli) · eo sentema (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · ja 敏感な (easily offended) · sh osjetljiv (responsive to stimuli) · he רגיש (easily offended) · fr sensible (accurate) · it sensibile (easily offended) · ar ذُو إِحْسَاس (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · be адчува́льны (responsive to stimuli) · ca ploramiques (capable of offending) · fi herkkätunteinen (easily offended) · hu precíz (accurate) · sv känslig (responsive to stimuli) · ja 繊細な (accurate) · tl matugunin (responsive to stimuli) · bg обидчив (easily offended) · izh herkkä (easily offended) · fi herkkä (accurate) · fr susceptible (easily offended) · he רגיש (capable of offending) · mi hūkokikoki (easily offended) · bg чувствителен (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · el ευαίσθητος (responsive to stimuli) · ro susceptibil (responsive to stimuli) · uk почутли́вий (responsive to stimuli) · de sensibel (easily offended) · ca sensible (accurate) · izh arkaloontoin (easily offended) · ru рани́мый (easily offended) · it sensibile (capable of offending) · ro receptiv (responsive to stimuli) · es susceptible (easily offended) · ru восприи́мчивый (responsive to stimuli) · pt sensitivo (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · tr nazik (capable of offending) · hu érzékelési (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · pl czuły (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · ceb sensitib (responsive to stimuli) · pt delicado (capable of offending) · ceb sensitibo (easily offended) · ka მგრძნობიარე (responsive to stimuli) · uk чуйни́й (responsive to stimuli) · ceb sensitib (capable of offending) · de empfindlich (easily offended) · be чульлі́вы (responsive to stimuli) · mi rahirahi (responsive to stimuli) · es sensible (easily offended) · pl drażliwy (easily offended) · hu szenzitív (easily offended) · cs citlivý (easily offended) · gl delicado (capable of offending) · da sensitiv (capable of offending) · bg чувстви́телен (responsive to stimuli) · ro de precizie (accurate) · el ευαίσθητος (easily offended) · es sensible (responsive to stimuli) · tr alıngan (easily offended) · hu érzékszervi (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · grc αἰσθητικός (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses) · ceb sensitibo (having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses)