REACTIVE
Dictionary entry overview: What does reactive mean?
• REACTIVE (adjective)
The adjective REACTIVE has 2 senses:
1. participating readily in reactions
2. tending to react to a stimulus
Familiarity information: REACTIVE used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• REACTIVE (adjective)
Meaning:
Participating readily in reactions
Context examples:
sodium is a reactive metal / free radicals are very reactive
Similar:
activated; excited ((of e.g. a molecule) made reactive or more reactive)
labile ((chemistry, physics, biology) readily undergoing change or breakdown)
oxidizable (capable of undergoing a chemical reaction with oxygen)
thermolabile ((chemistry, physics, biology) readily changed or destroyed by heat)
unstable (highly or violently reactive)
Domain category:
chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)
natural philosophy; physical science; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)
Antonym:
unreactive (not reacting chemically)
Meaning:
Tending to react to a stimulus
Context example:
the skin of the geriatric is less reactive than that of younger persons
Similar:
sensitive (responsive to physical stimuli)
