HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
adj. 1. Capable of perceiving with a sense or senses: Aristotle held that animals have a sensitive soul, but only humans have a rational one. 2. Responsive or capable of responding to a chemical stimulus or substance. Used especially of a cell, tissue, or organism. 3. a. Susceptible to slight differences or changes in the environment: a plant that is sensitive to rapid changes in temperature; heat-sensitive enzymes. b. Readily altered by the action of an agent: film that is sensitive to light. c. Registering slight differences or changes of condition. Used of an instrument. 4. a. Easily irritated: sensitive skin. b. Predisposed to inflammation as a result of preexisting allergy or disease: People with celiac disease are sensitive to gluten. 5. a. Aware of or careful about the attitudes, feelings, or circumstances of others: The book is a sensitive treatment of a troubled friendship. b. Easily hurt, upset, or offended: Teenagers tend to be especially sensitive about their appearance. 6. Fluctuating or tending to fluctuate, especially in price: sensitive stocks. 7. Of or relating to secret or classified information: sensitive defense data; holds a sensitive position in the State Department. n. 1. A sensitive person. 2. One held to be endowed with psychic or occult powers. [Middle English, from Old French sensitif, from Medieval Latin sēnsitīvus, from Latin sēnsus, sense; see SENSE.] sensi·tive·ly adv. sensi·tive·ness n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
