Empfindlicher

Empfindlicher is the comparative form of the German adjective empfindlich, meaning sensitive or delicate. It denotes a higher degree of sensitivity or susceptibility, and can refer to physical properties, such as sensors or materials, as well as to emotional or psychological traits.

Etymology and meaning: The term derives from empfindlich, which comes from the verb empfinden (to feel) with the suffix -lich. The comparative form empfindlicher is used to express that something is more sensitive than another reference item, and it can describe both objective sensitivity (for example, a device) and subjective sensitivity (for instance, a person).

Grammatical usage: Empfindlicher is an attributive or predicative adjective. As a predicative form, it appears after a linking verb: Der Sensor ist empfindlicher als der andere. In attributive position it agrees with gender, number, and case of the noun: ein empfindlicherer Sensor, eine empfindlichere Haut, die empfindliche Ausrüstung. In everyday language, the exact endings follow standard German adjective declension rules, with the comparative always indicating a higher degree of sensitivity.

Typical contexts: In technology and science, empfindlicher is used to describe devices or measurements that respond more readily to stimuli, such as a "empfindlicher Sensor" or "empfindlichere Messwert." In biology and medicine, it can describe tissues or receptors that react more easily to stimuli. In everyday speech, it commonly conveys emotional sensitivity, as in "eine empfindliche Person" or "jemand ist empfindlich gegenüber Kritik," meaning easily offended or easily affected by criticism.

Noun use: empfindlicher is primarily an adjective; using it as a noun is rare and typically literary. The standard noun forms would be rephrased with a descriptive noun phrase rather than capitalizing the adjective itself.