Sensitizing: meaning, definitions and examples

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sensitizing

 

[ˈsɛnsɪtaɪzɪŋ ]

Definition

Context #1 | Verb

medical context

Sensitizing refers to the process of making a person or an organism sensitive to a substance, typically an allergen. This can lead to an allergic reaction upon subsequent exposures. In immunology, sensitization involves the development of antibodies against specific antigens. Sensitization can be a crucial step in vaccination, where exposure to a weakened or inactive form of a pathogen prepares the immune system to respond robustly to future encounters.

Synonyms

allergy induction, immunological conditioning, making sensitive.

Examples of usage

  • The doctor explained the sensitizing effect of pollen on allergic patients.
  • Sensitizing the skin increases the likelihood of a reaction to the substance.
  • The process of sensitizing patients is critical for effective allergy treatments.

Interesting Facts

Psychology

  • Sensitizing can help people understand feelings or situations better, leading to increased empathy.
  • In therapy, sensitizing techniques can help patients confront and process traumatic events.
  • The process can be used to train individuals to recognize subtle cues in their environment.

Education

  • Teachers often use sensitizing methods to help students become more aware of different cultures or social issues.
  • Sensitizing strategies can improve learning outcomes by making students more attuned to the material.
  • Programs focusing on awareness of mental health issues are examples of sensitizing in educational contexts.

Health

  • In medicine, sensitizing can refer to heightening the immune system's ability to recognize allergens.
  • Sensitization processes in vaccines train the body to better identify pathogens.
  • Allergy tests often rely on sensitizing the skin to detect reactions to various substances.

Cultural Awareness

  • Sensitizing initiatives can help bridge gaps in understanding between different cultural or social groups.
  • Many organizations conduct sensitizing workshops to promote inclusivity and tolerance.
  • Art and media can be powerful tools for sensitizing audiences to social issues and injustices.

Technology

  • In tech, sensitizing often involves programming algorithms to be more aware of user preferences and behaviors.
  • Smart devices are increasingly being created to sense and adapt to the user environment for better functionality.
  • Sensitizing in AI involves training models to recognize emotions or sentiments in data.

Translations

Translations of the word "sensitizing" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sensibilizando

🇮🇳 संवेदनशील करना

🇩🇪 sensibilisieren

🇮🇩 mensensitisasi

🇺🇦 сенсибілізація

🇵🇱 uczulanie

🇯🇵 感作する

🇫🇷 sensibiliser

🇪🇸 sensibilizar

🇹🇷 hassaslaştırma

🇰🇷 민감화하다

🇸🇦 تحسيس

🇨🇿 sensibilizace

🇸🇰 sensibilizácia

🇨🇳 敏感化

🇸🇮 sensibilizacija

🇮🇸 viðkvæmni

🇰🇿 сезімталдық

🇬🇪 სენსიტიზაცია

🇦🇿 hassaslaşdırma

🇲🇽 sensibilización

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,250, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.