Tundlik

Tundlik is an Estonian adjective meaning sensitive or perceptive, describing someone or something that responds readily to stimuli. It can refer to emotional responsiveness in people, as well as to physical or sensory sensitivity in humans, animals, or objects such as devices and instruments. In everyday language, tundlik can carry both neutral and slightly evaluative tones, depending on context; a person can be described as tundlik for being quick to notice subtleties, or as tundlik in the sense of being easily offended or overwhelmed.

Etymology and form: The word is derived from the verb tunda, meaning to feel. The suffix -lik forms adjectives indicating a characteristic, so tundlik literally means “having the quality of feeling.” The related noun tundlikkus expresses the overall quality or degree of sensitivity.

Usages and examples: In psychology or everyday speech, one might speak of a tundlik inimene (a sensitive person) or tundlik nahk (sensitive skin). In technical contexts, tundlikkust is used to describe sensitivity levels of sensors, instruments, or measurement systems. The term is widely understood in Estonian and appears in both formal and informal registers.

Related terms: tundlikkus (sensitivity), tundlikkuslikkus (less common compound form), and antonyms such as ebata tundlik or mitten tundlik (insensitive). See also terms for specific contexts, like sensor sensitivity or emotional receptiveness.

Overall, tundlik is a versatile descriptor in Estonian, applicable across social, medical, and technical domains to denote a heightened responsiveness to stimuli or cues.