sensitive

adjective

1. 1

   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.

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   Easily offended, upset, or hurt.

   Max is very sensitive; he cried today because of the bad news.

4. 4

   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. 5

   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.

6. 6

   Being aware of the feelings of others and taking care not to offend them.

   Thank you for being sensitive.

7. 7

   Important, intricate, and requiring great delicacy.

   The president's untimely statement disrupted some very sensitive negotiations.

8. 8

   Accurate; able to register small changes in some property.

9. 9

   archaicHaving paranormal abilities that can be controlled through mesmerism.

noun

1. 1

   A person with a paranormal sensitivity to something that most cannot perceive.

   [I]t is quite certain that many of their fears were unfounded, and centred upon perfectly innocent people - especially those who were what we now call "mediumistic" or "sensitives".

   After all, Madame Rosita was a sensitive.

   Swedenborg was one of the leading savants of Europe; it would be absurd to place any of our sensitives on the same intellectual level.

Forms

plural

sensitives

comparative

more sensitive

superlative

most sensitive