sensitive */*/*/

sensitive */*/*/
UK [ˈsensətɪv] / US adjective
Collocations:

Sensible describes the reasonable way in which you think about things or do things: a sensible suggestion ♦ It wouldn't be sensible to start all over again now.
Sensitive describes the emotional way in which you react to things: He has always been a sensitive child. ♦ I didn't realize she was so sensitive about her work.
1)
a) reacting quickly or strongly to something

A new generation of satellites will carry particularly sensitive instruments.

Bats have extremely sensitive ears.

light-sensitive materials

sensitive to:

Coral is very sensitive to changes in water temperature.

b) likely to become angry or upset easily

If I'd known she was so sensitive, I wouldn't have teased her.

sensitive to:

Kyle takes his work seriously and is sensitive to criticism.

2) needing to be protected

Conservationists and farmers in environmentally sensitive areas are learning to work together.

Wear rubber gloves if you have very sensitive skin.

a) needing to be kept secret

Some items on the agenda involve commercially sensitive information.

b) needing to be dealt with carefully

The issues are controversial and politically sensitive.

3) showing that you care about someone or something and do not want to cause offence

This is a case that needs sensitive and skilful handling.

sensitive to:

The police should be more sensitive to the needs of local communities.


Derived word:
sensitiveness
noun uncountable

English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sensitive — [ sɑ̃sitiv ] n. f. • 1665; herbe sensitive 1639; de sensitif ♦ Mimosa dont les feuilles se rétractent au contact. ● sensitive nom féminin Nom usuel donné à Mimosa pudica, plante dont les feuilles se replient au moindre contact. ● sensitif,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • sensitive — sen‧si‧tive [ˈsenstɪv] adjective 1. very easily and quickly affected by changes: • Many economically sensitive companies have closed factories and cut their staff. • We face fierce competition from imports and price sensitive consumers (=… …   Financial and business terms

  • Sensitive — Sen si*tive, a. [F. sensitif. See {Sense}.] 1. Having sense of feeling; possessing or exhibiting the capacity of receiving impressions from external objects; as, a sensitive soul. [1913 Webster] 2. Having quick and acute sensibility, either to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sensitive — Sensitive. s. f. Espece de plante, qu on appelle ainsi, parce qu elle semble avoir du sentiment, & s éloigner de celuy qui la veut toucher. La grande sensitive. la petite sensitive …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • sensitive — [sen′sə tiv] adj. [ME sensitife < MFr sensitif < ML sensitivus < L sensus: see SENSE] 1. of the senses or sensation; esp., connected with the reception or transmission of sense impressions; sensory 2. receiving and responding to stimuli… …   English World dictionary

  • sensitive — c.1400, having the function of sensation, from M.Fr. sensitif (13c.), from M.L. sensitivus capable of sensation, from L. sensus, pp. of sentire feel perceive (see SENSE (Cf. sense)). Meaning easily affected (with ref. to mental feelings) first… …   Etymology dictionary

  • sensitive — [adj1] impressionable acute, cognizant, conscious, delicate, easily affected, emotionable, emotional, feeling, fine, highstrung, hung up*, hypersensitive, impressible, irritable, keen, knowing, nervous, oversensitive, perceiving, perceptive,… …   New thesaurus

  • Sensitīve — (Sinnpflanze), s. Mimosa …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Sensitive — Sensitive, Sinnpflanze, s. Mimosa …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • sensitive — I (discerning) adjective aesthetic, alert, alive to, apperceptive, appercipient, astute, attentive, awake to, aware, cognizant, conscious, critical, discriminating, discriminative, fastidious, heedful, keen, mindful, observant, penetrating,… …   Law dictionary

  • sensitive — 1 susceptible, subject, exposed, open, *liable, prone Analogous words: impressed, influenced, affected (see AFFECT): predisposed, disposed, inclined (see INCLINE vb) Antonyms: insensitive 2 *sentient, impressible, impressionable, responsive,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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