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in·ten·sive (ĭn-tĕnsĭv)
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adj.
1. Of, relating to, or characterized by intensity: intensive training.
2. Grammar Tending to emphasize or intensify: an intensive adverb.
3. Possessing or requiring to a high degree. Often used in combination: labor-intensive.
4. Of or relating to agricultural production that achieves high yields per acre of land but requires significant input of labor or materials.
5. Physics Having the same value for any subdivision of a thermodynamic system: intensive pressure.
n.
Grammar
A linguistic element, such as the adverb extremely or awfully, that provides force or emphasis. Also called intensifier.
in·tensive·ly adv.
in·tensive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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