Origin: Latin suffix -ive
Sensitive has 8 different meanings across 2 categories:
someone who serves as an intermediary between the living and the dead
"he consulted several mediums"
A person with a paranormal sensitivity to something that most cannot perceive.
"She closed her eyes and claimed she could feel the spirit of the house pressing against her skin, saying only someone as sensitive as she would ever know it was there."
In plain English: A sensitive person is someone who feels emotions deeply and gets hurt easily by what others say or do.
"The teacher asked the sensitive student to avoid loud noises during the test."
responsive to physical stimuli
"a mimosa's leaves are sensitive to touch"
"a sensitive voltmeter"
"sensitive skin"
"sensitive to light"
being susceptible to the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others
"sensitive to the local community and its needs"
of or pertaining to classified information or matters affecting national security
"The intelligence officer marked the report as sensitive before sending it to headquarters, ensuring that no details about our covert operation were leaked."
Having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses.
"The doctor explained that after the surgery, his fingertips would be sensitive again before he could feel a gentle touch without pain."
In plain English: Sensitive means easily hurt or upset by things around you.
"Please be sensitive to his feelings when discussing this topic."
Usage: Use this adjective when referring to someone who feels emotions deeply or is easily upset, rather than describing physical touch alone. It often pairs with abstract nouns like skin, nerves, or equipment to indicate a high degree of responsiveness.
The word sensitive traveled into English from Middle French and earlier Medieval Latin. It originally described the quality of being capable of feeling or perceiving stimuli.