anti-sensitizing
|an-ti-sen-si-tiz-ing|
/ˌæn.tiˈsɛn.sɪˌtaɪ.zɪŋ/
(anti-sensitize)
preventing sensitization
Etymology
'anti-sensitizing' originates from modern English as a compound of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against' or 'opposite') and the verb 'sensitize' (derived from 'sensitive', ultimately from Latin 'sensitivus' from 'sentire' meaning 'to feel').
'sensitize' entered English via French (e.g. French sensibiliser) and was modeled on 'sensitive'; the productive English prefix 'anti-' (from Greek) was later combined with the verb to form 'anti-sensitize' and its participial/adjectival form 'anti-sensitizing'.
Initially the elements meant 'against' (anti-) and 'to make sensitive' (sensitize); together the compound evolved to mean 'acting against the process of making sensitive', i.e. 'preventing or reducing sensitization'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
serving to prevent or reduce sensitization (the process by which an organism becomes unusually responsive or allergic to a substance).
The researcher developed an anti-sensitizing agent to lower the incidence of allergic reactions in exposed patients.
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Adjective 2
reducing or preventing increased sensitivity of a material, device, or system to a stimulus (e.g., light, chemical, electrical).
The coating has anti-sensitizing properties that protect photographic films from unwanted exposure.
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Last updated: 2025/11/21 14:58