pleasure-responsive
|plea-sure-re-spon-sive|
🇺🇸
/ˈplɛʒər rɪˈspɑːnsɪv/
🇬🇧
/ˈplɛʒə rɪˈspɒnsɪv/
reacts to pleasure
Etymology
'pleasure-responsive' originates from Modern English as a compound of the noun 'pleasure' and the adjective 'responsive', formed by combining meanings of the two words to describe responsiveness to pleasurable stimuli.
'pleasure' comes into English via Old French 'plaisir' (Middle English 'plesir') from Latin 'placēre' meaning 'to please'; 'responsive' derives from Medieval/Modern English use of Latin root 'respondere' (to answer) via Old French 'respon(d)re' and the adjective-forming suffix '-ive'. The compound 'pleasure-responsive' is a modern English formation combining these elements.
Initially, components meant 'to please' (pleasure) and 'to answer/return a reaction' (respond); over time the compound came to mean 'showing a reaction specifically to pleasurable or rewarding stimuli.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
responsive to pleasure; reacting positively or showing a measurable response to pleasurable stimuli or rewards.
After the treatment some patients became noticeably more pleasure-responsive during reward tasks.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/07 05:40