sensitivity
C1Neutral formal to semi-formal; common in professional, academic, and technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The quality of being sensitive; the capacity to react to stimuli, feel emotion, or be aware of subtle differences.
The capacity to understand and respond to the feelings or needs of others; susceptibility to being easily upset or offended; the state of needing special care or protection due to vulnerability; in technical contexts, the degree to which a device or system responds to a stimulus.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Noun formed from adjective 'sensitive'. Polysemous; core meaning relates to physical or emotional responsiveness, while extended meanings span technical and social domains. Often implies a high degree of responsiveness, which can be positive (empathy) or negative (vulnerability).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical difference. British English may more commonly use 'sensitivity' in social/medical contexts (e.g., 'dental sensitivity'), while American English may use it slightly more in technical/business contexts (e.g., 'market sensitivity').
Connotations
Equally positive/neutral in both. No significant connotative divergence.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English corpora, likely due to broader usage in business and tech discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
sensitivity to (noun)sensitivity about/regarding (noun)sensitivity of (noun) to (noun)sensitivity toward(s) (noun)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “handle/treat with kid gloves (related to sensitivity)”
- “thin-skinned (describes a person with high sensitivity)”
- “walk on eggshells (situation requiring sensitivity)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to awareness of market changes, customer feelings, or confidential information (e.g., 'price sensitivity', 'data sensitivity').
Academic
Used in social sciences for cultural/emotional awareness; in sciences for instrument precision or experimental reaction (e.g., 'statistical sensitivity').
Everyday
Describes personal traits, physical reactions (e.g., to heat, food), or social situations requiring care (e.g., 'He handled the news with great sensitivity').
Technical
Precise measurement of a system's output change per input change (e.g., 'sensor sensitivity', 'antibiotic sensitivity testing').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The device is designed to sensitise the system to minor fluctuations.
- We must sensitise the team to the client's concerns.
American English
- The program aims to sensitize employees to workplace diversity.
- The treatment can sensitize the skin to sunlight.
adverb
British English
- He listened sensitively to her concerns.
- The issue must be handled sensitively.
American English
- She responded sensitively to the criticism.
- Adjust the settings sensitively for best results.
adjective
British English
- She is very sensitive about her work.
- Use a sensitive touch with the old controls.
- This is a politically sensitive document.
American English
- He has sensitive skin.
- The microphone is highly sensitive.
- We're dealing with sensitive information.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She has a sensitivity to nuts.
- The baby's skin has great sensitivity.
- He showed sensitivity to his friend's problems.
- My teeth have sensitivity to cold drinks.
- The manager's lack of sensitivity caused a drop in team morale.
- The sensor's sensitivity must be calibrated for accurate readings.
- The negotiation required considerable cultural sensitivity and diplomatic finesse.
- A sensitivity analysis revealed the model's vulnerability to fluctuations in initial parameters.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SENSOR that is extremely ACTIVE — a 'sens-or' that is highly 'active' detects tiny changes = SENSITIVITY.
Conceptual Metaphor
SENSITIVITY IS A MEASURING DEVICE (e.g., 'calibrate your sensitivity', 'highly tuned sensitivity'); SENSITIVITY IS A THIN SURFACE (e.g., 'thin-skinned', 'easily pierced').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'чувствительность' (correct) and 'сенситивность' (rare, clinical cognate). Avoid direct translation of 'sensitivity training' as 'тренировка чувствительности'; use 'тренинг по развитию эмпатии/осознанности'. In technical contexts, ensure correct field-specific term (e.g., 'чувствительность прибора', 'восприимчивость к антибиотикам').
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'sensativity' or 'sensitivty'. Using 'sensitivity of' when 'sensitivity to' is correct (e.g., 'sensitivity of the issue' vs. 'sensitivity to the issue'). Confusing with 'sensibility' (which refers to good judgement or refined taste).
Practice
Quiz
In a technical context, 'sensitivity' most likely refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. While it can be positive (e.g., empathy, awareness), it can also imply being overly vulnerable, easily offended, or physically reactive in an undesirable way (e.g., 'skin sensitivity'). Context determines the valence.
In technical/medical contexts, they are paired terms. 'Sensitivity' measures the ability to correctly identify true positives (e.g., a test detecting a disease). 'Specificity' measures the ability to correctly identify true negatives (e.g., a test correctly ruling out the disease).
Yes, though less common. It can be pluralised ('sensitivities') when referring to multiple specific types or instances (e.g., 'The patient has multiple food sensitivities', 'We must consider local cultural sensitivities').
Sensitivity training is specifically designed to increase participants' awareness and understanding of social, cultural, or ethical issues (e.g., diversity, harassment, disability) to improve interpersonal behaviour and reduce prejudice. It focuses on emotional and social intelligence.