sensitivity
1 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
sensitivities
plural
sensitivities
Britannica Dictionary definition of SENSITIVITY
1
a
:
the tendency to become upset about things that are done to you, are said about you, or relate to you
— often + to
[noncount]
-
I was surprised by her extreme sensitivity about even the smallest suggestions that we made.
-
his sensitivity to criticism
[count]
-
Their sensitivities were inflamed by his remarks. [=they became very upset by his remarks]
b
[noncount]
:
the tendency to cause people to be upset
-
the racial sensitivity of this issue [=the tendency of people of certain races to become upset about this issue]
-
This is a matter of great political sensitivity.
2
a
:
an awareness and understanding of the feelings of other people
[noncount]
-
He handled the situation with great sensitivity.
-
Her decision shows a lack of sensitivity.
-
I would have appreciated a little more sensitivity from you.
[singular]
— often + to
-
She has shown a great sensitivity to the needs of her students.
b
:
an awareness of the details or qualities of something
— often + to
-
He displays a remarkable sensitivity to the subtle nuances of language.
3
:
the quality of being easily affected by something in a bad or unpleasant way
— often + to
[noncount]
-
skin sensitivity [=the skin's tendency to react in a bad way to substances that touch it]
-
drug sensitivity = sensitivity to drugs/medications
[count]
-
He has chemical sensitivities. [=his body reacts badly to certain chemicals]
-
He has food sensitivities. [=he can't eat certain kinds of food]
-
a sensitivity to light/pollen
4
[singular]
:
the ability to express your thoughts and feelings through writing, music, etc.
-
Her singing is characterized by a rich emotional sensitivity.
5
[noncount]
:
the quality of needing to be handled in a careful or secret way
-
the sensitivity of this document/data
6
[noncount]
technical
:
the ability of a device to sense very small changes in something
-
The new refinements have improved the sensitivity of the motion detector.
