Oversensitive

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Reacting more strongly or emotionally to stimuli, criticism, or situations than is typically considered reasonable or necessary
2. Experiencing heightened emotional reactions to external stimuli, often leading to excessive distress or discomfort in response to criticism or challenging situations
3. Displaying an intensified sensitivity to emotional, social, or environmental factors, resulting in disproportionate responses to criticism or everyday interactions

Etymology: "Oversensitive" is a plain formation: the prefix "over-", meaning excessive or beyond the proper degree, attached to "sensitive". The prefix descends from Old English "ofer", which carried the sense of "above" or "beyond", and it is the same element found in words like "overcome" and "overlook". Its roots reach back to the same ancient source as Latin "super" and Greek "hyper", which is why English shares a family resemblance with those languages in this respect. "Sensitive" comes from the Late Latin "sensitivus", derived from "sentire", "to feel" or "perceive". Joined to "over-", the word describes someone whose responses to a stimulus go past what the situation calls for. Because "sensitive" itself can be used neutrally, of a delicate instrument or a sensitive subject, the prefix is what turns the meaning into a judgement that the reaction is too strong.

Synonyms: hyper-sensitive, touchy, sensitive, emotional, irritable

Antonyms: insensitive, unemotional, stoic, tough, calm