intensieve

Intensieve is a Dutch adjective meaning “intensive” or “high in intensity.” It is used to describe actions, processes, or states that require substantial effort, concentration, or resources over a relatively short period. The form intensieve is commonly used when the noun it modifies is a common gender noun in the definite form, for example intensieve zorg (intensive care), intensieve training (intensive training), and intensieve cursussen (intensive courses). The term appears across professional, educational, medical, and agricultural contexts, including intensieve zorg in hospitals, intensieve studieprogramma's (intensive study programs), and intensieve veehouderij (intensive animal farming).

In usage, intensieve conveys a deliberate, structured level of effort or exposure and often implies duration and focus rather than casual or light engagement. It is typically contrasted with extensief (extensive) to indicate depth or intensity of effort rather than breadth. The English equivalents are mainly “intensive” or “highly concentrated,” as in “intensive care unit” or “intensive training.” The related noun intensiteit denotes intensity, while the closely related adjective intensief describes the manner of action, as in intensief werk (intensive work).