Sensitive
Definition
Sensitive is an adjective. It means having the capacity to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences. It can also refer to being easily affected emotionally or showing a high degree of awareness.
Parts of Speech
- Adjective
Pronunciation
American English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ˈsɛn.sə.tɪv/, /ˈsɛn.sɪ.tɪv/
- Respelling: SEN-suh-tiv, SEN-si-tiv
British English
- IPA Pronunciation: /ˈsɛn.sɪ.tɪv/
- Respelling: SEN-si-tiv
Etymology
The word "sensitive" originates from Latin "sensitivus," derived from "sentire," meaning "to feel." It entered Middle English through Old French "sensitif," initially used in scientific and emotional contexts.
Derivatives
- Sensitivity (noun)
- Sensitize (verb)
- Oversensitive (adjective)
- Sensitively (adverb)
- Sensitiveness (noun)
Synonyms
- Receptive
- Delicate
- Responsive
Antonyms
- Insensitive
- Unfeeling
- Unresponsive
Usage
The term "sensitive" is widely used in personal, technological, and medical contexts. Examples include "He is highly sensitive to criticism" and "The equipment is sensitive to small vibrations."
Related Terms
- Receptive: Open and responsive to ideas or suggestions.
- Perceptive: Having a keen sense of understanding or awareness.
- Susceptible: Easily influenced or affected.
Detailed Definitions
Adjective
- Able to detect or respond to slight changes: Refers to high reactivity to environmental or external factors.
- Example: "The sensitive microphone captured every sound."
- Easily affected emotionally: Refers to being quick to feel or react emotionally.
- Example: "She is sensitive about her work and takes feedback seriously."
- Requiring careful handling due to fragility: Refers to delicate materials or situations that need precise care.
- Example: "This is a sensitive issue that must be addressed tactfully."
sensitive
Sensitive means easily affected by small changes, like a seismograph that registers the faintest tremors.
The sensitive microphone captured every sound.
She is sensitive about her work and takes feedback seriously.
🇨🇳 Mandarin
- 敏感 (mǐngǎn) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [mǐn.kàn]
- Respelling: min-gan
- 灵敏 (língmǐn) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [lǐŋ.mǐn]
- Respelling: ling-min
🇮🇳 Hindi
- संवेदनशील (sanvedanaśīl) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [sən.ʋeː.d̪ə.naː.ʃiːl]
- Respelling: san-ve-da-na-sheel
- संवेदी (sanvedī) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [sən.ʋeː.d̪iː]
- Respelling: san-ve-di
🇪🇸 Spanish
- Sensible - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [senˈsiβle]
- Respelling: sen-see-bleh
- Sensitivo - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [sensiˈtiβo]
- Respelling: sen-see-tee-vo
🇫🇷 French
- Sensible - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [sɑ̃.sibl]
- Respelling: san-seeble
- Sensitif - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [sɑ̃.si.tif]
- Respelling: san-see-teef
🇦🇪 Modern Standard Arabic
- حساس (hasas) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [ħaˈsaːs]
- Respelling: ha-sas
- رقيق (raqiq) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [raˈqiːq]
- Respelling: ra-qeek
🇧🇩 Bengali
- সংবেদনশীল (sangbedonshil) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [ʂɔŋbed̪ɔnʂil]
- Respelling: shong-be-do-shil
- সংবেদনশীল (sangbedonshil) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [ʂɔŋbed̪ɔnʂil]
- Respelling: shong-be-do-shil
🇷🇺 Russian
- Чувствительный (Chuvstvitel'nyy) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [tʃʊfstvʲɪˈtʲelʲnɨj]
- Respelling: choovstvi-tel-ny
- Сенсибельный (Sensibel'nyy) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [sʲɪnsʲɪˈbʲelʲnɨj]
- Respelling: sen-si-bel-ny
🇵🇹 Portuguese
- Sensível - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [sẽˈsivɛɫ]
- Respelling: sen-see-vel
- Sensitivo - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [sẽsiˈtivu]
- Respelling: sen-see-tee-voo
🇮🇩 Indonesian
- Sensitif - Sensitive (both easily upset or needing careful handling and quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [sən.si.tif]
- Respelling: sen-see-teef
🇩🇪 German
- Sensibel - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [zɛnziˈbeːl]
- Respelling: zen-see-beel
- Sensitiv - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [zɛnsiˈtiːf]
- Respelling: zen-see-teef
🇯🇵 Japanese
- 敏感な (Binkan na) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [bĩŋ.kaɴ.na]
- Respelling: bin-kan-na
- 感じやすい (Kanji yasui) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [ka̠ndʑija̠sɨᵝi]
- Respelling: kan-ji-ya-soo-i
🇻🇳 Vietnamese
- Nhạy cảm - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [ɲaːj˧ˀ˨ʔ kam˧ˀ˨ʔ]
- Respelling: nyaay cam
- Mẫn cảm - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [məːn˧ˀ˨ʔ kam˧ˀ˨ʔ]
- Respelling: man cam
🇰🇷 Korean
- 민감한 (mingamhan) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [min.ɡam.han]
- Respelling: min-gam-han
- 감도 높은 (gamdo nopeun) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [ɡam.do nop̚.ɯn]
- Respelling: gam-do no-peun
🇹🇷 Turkish
- Hassas - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [hasˈsas]
- Respelling: has-sas
- Duyarlı - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [dɯˈjaɾɫɯ]
- Respelling: du-yar-luh
🇵🇰 Urdu
- حساس (hasaas) - Sensitive (easily upset or needing careful handling)
- IPA: [həˈsaːs]
- Respelling: ha-saas
- سنجیدہ (sanjeeda) - Sensitive (quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences)
- IPA: [sənˈdʒiːd̪aː]
- Respelling: san-jeed-aa
