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sensitive definition

sen·si·tive (sensə tiv)

adjective

  1. of the senses or sensation; esp., connected with the reception or transmission of sense impressions; sensory
  2. receiving and responding to stimuli from outside objects or agencies; having sensation
  3. responding or feeling readily and acutely; very keenly susceptible to stimuli a sensitive ear
  4. easily hurt; tender; raw
  5. having or showing keen sensibilities; highly perceptive or responsive intellectually, aesthetically, etc.
  6. easily offended, disturbed, shocked, irritated, etc., as by the actions of others; touchy
  7. changing readily in the presence of some external force or condition; specif.,
    1. readily affected by light: said of photographic film, etc.
    2. readily receiving very weak radio signals
    3. operating readily in weak light, as certain television camera tubes
  8. designed to indicate or measure small changes or differences
  9. showing, or liable to show, unusual variation; fluctuating a sensitive stock market
  10. ☆ designating, of, or dealing with secret or delicate matters, esp. secret or delicate government matters

Etymology: ME sensitife < MFr sensitif < ML sensitivus < L sensus: see sense

noun

medium ()

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:
sensitive Synonyms

sensitive

modif.

  1. Tender

    delicate, sore, raw, painful; see tender 6.

  2. Touchy

    high-strung, tense, nervous; see irritable, unstable 2.

  3. Sensory

    sentient, impressionable, sensible, perceptive, susceptible, receptive, psychic, sensorial, sensatory, tuned in*, soulful*, turned on to*; see also sympathetic.

  4. Responsive

    fine, delicate, fine-tuned, readily affected.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

sensitive Usage Examples

Infinitive complement

  • touch: There is an area of bare pink skin on the snout that is very sensitive to touch.

Modifies a noun

  • skin: Just 5 minutes in strong sunlight can burn people with sensitive skins.

Modifying Another Word

  • environmentally: The project took place at an environmentally sensitive location, with all run-off water quickly entering local rivers.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: But the road layout has remained sensitive to its integrity, and it is still a church to walk to rather than drive.
sensitive usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

sensitive quotes

Just as the pious man prays without speaking a word and the Almighty hearkens unto him, so the artist with true feelings paints and the sensitive man understands and recognizes it.

-Friedrich, Caspar David

A sensitive boy's humiliations may be very good fun for ordinary thick-skinned grown-ups; but to the boy himself theyareso acute, so ignominious, that he cannot confess themöcannot but deny them passionately.

-Shaw, George Bernard

A Sensitive Plant in a garden grew. 785

-Shelley, Percy Bysshe

sensitive quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"sensitive." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/sensitive>

APA Style

sensitive. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/sensitive

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