sensitive
Meaning
Easily affected or changed by something.
(of a person) easily upset or offended.
Able to understand other people's feelings and problems.
(of a subject or issue) needing to be dealt with carefully to avoid upsetting people.
Structure
Usage
Her skin is very sensitive to sunlight.
He is sensitive about his height.
This is a politically sensitive issue that requires careful handling.
Etymology
The word 'sensitive' has its roots in the Latin verb 'sentire', meaning 'to feel'. This verb gave rise to the past participle 'sensus', which forms the core of many English words related to perception. The adjectival suffix '-itive', via Latin '-ivus', was attached to create a word describing the quality of being capable of feeling. Over time, the meaning evolved from the literal physical sense of perception to encompass emotional responsiveness and a heightened awareness of subtle changes or delicate situations.
Analysis
'sens' is from Latin 'sensus', meaning 'feeling' or 'perception'. 'itive' is an adjectival suffix derived from Latin '-ivus', indicating a tendency or capacity.