Sensitivity — meaning, pronunciation & more

Definition

(physiology) responsiveness to external stimuli; the faculty of sensation

the ability to respond to physical stimuli or to register small physical amounts or differences

Pronunciation

🇺🇸American English

/sˌɛnsɪtˈɪvᵻɾi/

🇬🇧British English

/sˌɛnsɪtˈɪvɪti/

🇮🇳Indian English

/sˌɛnsɪtˈɪvɪti/

5 syllables Say it as /sˌɛnsɪtˈɪvᵻɾi/.

Examples

sensitivity to pain
a galvanometer of extreme sensitivity
the sensitiveness of Mimosa leaves does not depend on a change of growth

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

sensibility sensitiveness predisposition

Antonyms

insensitiveness insensitivity

Parts of Speech

noun	(physiology) responsiveness to external stimuli; the faculty of sensation “sensitivity to pain”
noun	the ability to respond to physical stimuli or to register small physical amounts or differences “a galvanometer of extreme sensitivity”
noun	sensitivity to emotional feelings (of self and others)
noun	susceptibility to a pathogen
noun	the ability to respond to affective changes in your interpersonal environment

Word Forms

sensitive	adjective	hurting
sensible	adjective	readily perceived by the senses

Around the World

Europe

🇩🇪German

Empfindlichkeit

(Physiologie) Reaktionsfähigkeit auf äußere Reize; die Fähigkeit der Empfindung

🇫🇷French

sensibilité

(physiologie) réactivité aux stimuli externes ; la faculté de sensation

🇪🇸Spanish

sensibilidad

(fisiología) capacidad de respuesta a estímulos externos; la facultad de sentir

🇮🇹Italian

sensibilità

(fisiologia) reattività agli stimoli esterni; la facoltà della sensazione

🇳🇱Dutch

gevoeligheid

(fysiologie) reactievermogen op externe stimuli; het gevoelsvermogen

🇵🇹Portuguese

sensibilidade

(fisiologia) capacidade de resposta a estímulos externos; a faculdade da sensação

🇷🇺Russian

чувствительность

(физиология) реакция на внешние раздражители; способность ощущения

India

🇮🇳Hindi

संवेदनशीलता

(फिजियोलॉजी) बाहरी उत्तेजनाओं के प्रति प्रतिक्रिया; संवेदना की क्षमता

🇧🇩Bengali

সংবেদনশীলতা

বাহ্যিক উদ্দীপনার প্রতি প্রতিক্রিয়াশীলতা; সংবেদন অনুষদ

🇮🇳Tamil

உணர்திறன்

(உடலியல்) வெளிப்புற தூண்டுதல்களுக்கு பதிலளிக்கும் தன்மை; உணர்வு திறன்

🇮🇳Telugu

సున్నితత్వం

(శరీరశాస్త్రం) బాహ్య ఉద్దీపనలకు ప్రతిస్పందన; సంచలనం యొక్క అధ్యాపకులు

🇮🇳Marathi

संवेदनशीलता

(शरीरशास्त्र) बाह्य उत्तेजनांना प्रतिसाद; संवेदना फॅकल्टी

🇮🇳Gujarati

સંવેદનશીલતા

(ફિઝિયોલોજી) બાહ્ય ઉત્તેજના માટે પ્રતિભાવ; સંવેદના ફેકલ્ટી

🇮🇳Kannada

ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮತೆ

(ಶರೀರವಿಜ್ಞಾನ) ಬಾಹ್ಯ ಪ್ರಚೋದಕಗಳಿಗೆ ಸ್ಪಂದಿಸುವಿಕೆ; ಸಂವೇದನೆಯ ಅಧ್ಯಾಪಕರು

🇮🇳Malayalam

സംവേദനക്ഷമത

(ശരീരശാസ്ത്രം) ബാഹ്യ ഉത്തേജകങ്ങളോടുള്ള പ്രതികരണം; സംവേദനത്തിൻ്റെ ഫാക്കൽറ്റി

🇮🇳Punjabi

ਸੰਵੇਦਨਸ਼ੀਲਤਾ

(ਫਿਜ਼ਿਓਲੋਜੀ) ਬਾਹਰੀ ਉਤੇਜਨਾ ਪ੍ਰਤੀ ਜਵਾਬਦੇਹੀ; ਸੰਵੇਦਨਾ ਦੀ ਫੈਕਲਟੀ

🇵🇰Urdu

حساسیت

(فزیالوجی) بیرونی محرکات کے لیے ردعمل؛ احساس کی فیکلٹی

East & Southeast Asia

🇨🇳Chinese

灵敏度

（生理学）对外部刺激的反应；感觉能力

🇯🇵Japanese

感度

(生理学) 外部刺激に対する反応性。感覚能力

🇰🇷Korean

감광도

(생리학) 외부 자극에 대한 반응성; 감각의 능력

🇻🇳Vietnamese

sự nhạy cảm

(sinh lý học) khả năng đáp ứng với các kích thích bên ngoài; khoa cảm giác

🇹🇭Thai

ความไว

(สรีรวิทยา) การตอบสนองต่อสิ่งเร้าภายนอก คณะแห่งความรู้สึก

🇮🇩Indonesian

kepekaan

(fisiologi) daya tanggap terhadap rangsangan eksternal; fakultas sensasi

🇵🇭Filipino

pagiging sensitibo

(pisyolohiya) pagtugon sa panlabas na stimuli; ang faculty of sensation

🇲🇾Malay

sensitiviti

(fisiologi) tindak balas terhadap rangsangan luar; fakulti sensasi

Middle East

🇸🇦Arabic

حساسية

(علم وظائف الأعضاء) الاستجابة للمؤثرات الخارجية؛ كلية الإحساس

🇮🇷Persian

حساسیت

(فیزیولوژی) پاسخگویی به محرک های خارجی. قوه حس

🇹🇷Turkish

hassasiyet

(fizyoloji) dış uyaranlara yanıt verme; duyum fakültesi

🇮🇱Hebrew

רְגִישׁוּת

(פיזיולוגיה) היענות לגירויים חיצוניים; סגל הסנסציה

Test Yourself1 / 3

What is the primary definition of the word 'sensitivity'?

The primary meaning of 'sensitivity' is '(physiology) responsiveness to external stimuli; the faculty of sensation'.

Which of the following sentences uses the word 'sensitivity' in a grammatically correct way?

Using 'sensitivity' in a noun/adjective form makes the first sentence correct.

In which domain is the word 'sensitivity' most likely to appear as standard vocabulary?

'sensitivity' is a standard word used primarily in general literature and formal communications.

Community Poll1 / 6

How often do you encounter the word 'sensitivity' in your daily reading?

Very Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Do you find 'sensitivity' easy to spell?

Yes, very easy

Somewhat easy

A bit confusing

Extremely hard

In your opinion, does the word 'sensitivity' have a positive, neutral, or gloomy tone?

Positive

Neutral

Gloomy

Vibrant

Which age group is most likely to use 'sensitivity' in regular conversations?

Kids (3-12)

Teens (13-19)

Adults (20-60)

Seniors (60+)

How likely are you to use 'sensitivity' in a professional email?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Never

Would you classify 'sensitivity' as formal, casual, or slang?

Formal

Casual

Slang

Archaic

Pick an option to see how others voted