sensitive

comparative more sensitive · superlative most sensitive · alternative archaic sensative

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.

   1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition III, section 1, member 2, subsection i

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.

   1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 9

3. Easily offended, upset, or hurt.

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

4. usuallytopicCapable of offending, upsetting, or hurting.

   Religion is often a sensitive topic of discussion and should be avoided when dealing with foreign business associates.

5. Meant to be concealed or kept secret.

   These are highly sensitive documents.

   1 more example

   Xeltan: I cannot speak more about this problem; it is too sensitive. Suffice it to say, she has compromised my authority as a diplomat.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel

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

   Thank you for being sensitive.

7. Important, intricate, and requiring great delicacy.

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

8. Accurate; able to register small changes in some property.
9. archaicHaving paranormal abilities that can be controlled through mesmerism.

plural sensitives · alternative archaic sensative

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

   After all, Madame Rosita was a sensitive.

   1957, Sydney J. Bounds, The Robot Brains, London: Digit Books, page 82

   2 more examples

   [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".

   1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 72

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

   2003, Frederic W.H. Myers, Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death Part 2