Library / English Dictionary

SENSITISE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make sensitive or aware

Example:

He was not sensitized to her emotional needs

Synonyms:

sensibilise; sensibilize; sensify; sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "sensitise" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make (a material) sensitive to light, often of a particular colour, by coating it with a photographic emulsion

Example:

sensitize the photographic film

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "sensitise" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Domain category:

photography; picture taking (the act of taking and printing photographs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

sensitiser ((chemistry) a substance other than a catalyst that facilitates the start of a catalytic reaction)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make sensitive to a drug or allergen

Example:

Long-term exposure to this medicine may sensitize you to the allergen

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "sensitise" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

sensitisation (rendering an organism sensitive to a serum by a series of injections)

sensitisation (the state of being sensitive (as to an antigen))

sensitiser ((chemistry) a substance other than a catalyst that facilitates the start of a catalytic reaction)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause to sense; make sensitive

Example:

My tongue became sensitized to good wine

Synonyms:

sensitise; sensitize

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Cause:

feel; sense (perceive by a physical sensation, e.g., coming from the skin or muscles)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sensitise"):

photosensitise; photosensitize (make (an organism or substance) sensitive to the influence of radiant energy and especially light)

excite; stimulate; stir (stir feelings in)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Antonym:

desensitise (cause not to be sensitive)

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