Standard Lemma guide

oversensitivity

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: OW2 V ER0 S EH0 N S AH0 T IH1 V IH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state or quality of being excessively sensitive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Near-synonym: hypersensitivity

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oversensitiveness, hypersensitivity

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Old English ofer- Middle English over- English over- English sensitivity English oversensitivity From over- + sensitivity.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: přecitlivělost — oversensitivity
  • Danish: overfølsomhed — oversensitivity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: overfølsomhet — oversensitivity
  • Slovak: precitlivenosť — oversensitivity
  • Swedish: överkänslighet — oversensitivity