insensitive
UK[ɪnˈsɛnsɪtɪv]US[ɪnˈsɛnsɪtɪv]
adj
Not aware of or showing sympathy for the feelings of other people.
adj
Not able to feel physical sensations, or not reacting to physical changes.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
sensitive
in
not
sensitive
responsive
Etymology
The word 'insensitive' is a modern English formation built upon the existing adjective 'sensitive'. The core root traces back to the Latin verb sentire, meaning "to feel", which itself originates from the Proto-Indo-European root sent-, meaning "to head for, go, or feel". The suffix '-ive' was added in Latin to form adjectives. The negative prefix 'in-', also from Latin, was later attached to 'sensitive' to create its direct opposite. Thus, the literal construction "not feeling" logically evolved to describe both a lack of physical sensation and a lack of empathy or awareness towards the feelings of others.
Analysis
Structure: in (not) + sensitive (responsive)
- in: A Latin prefix meaning "not" or "without". It functions as a negative particle.
- sensitive: From Latin sensitivus, meaning "endowed with feeling". It functions as the core adjective meaning responsive to stimuli or feelings.
Examples
It was insensitive of him to make a joke about her situation.
The patient's leg became insensitive after the nerve damage.
The device uses a material that is insensitive to temperature changes.