Intensive

Intensive is an adjective describing activities or processes carried out with a high degree of concentration, effort, or input in a relatively short period. It often implies a strong or accelerated pace, though not inherently positive or negative.

In medicine, intensive relates to intensive care, as in intensive care units (ICUs) that provide continuous monitoring and life-sustaining support for critically ill patients. Intensive care involves coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment and vigilant resource management.

In education, an intensive course compresses a large amount of instruction into a shorter timeframe, with increased daily contact hours. Examples include intensive language programs or boot camps. These formats enable rapid skill development but can heighten workload and stress.

In agriculture, intensive farming uses high inputs of labor, capital, fertilizers, and pesticides to achieve high yields on a given area. It contrasts with extensive farming, which relies on larger land areas with lower input per unit of output. Environmental and sustainability concerns are common debates.

The term is also used in fitness, where intensive workouts emphasize short, high-effort bursts. In data processing and technology, intensive workloads describe tasks demanding substantial compute power and memory.

Etymologically, intensive derives from Latin intensus, with the English suffix -ive, denoting a high degree of intensity or concentration.