Word of the Day

: September 14, 2021

responsive

adjective rih-SPAHN-siv

What It Means

Responsive means "quick to respond or react in a desired or appropriate manner."

// The Senator was responsive to the concerns voiced by the town's council and residents.

// The eye contains cells that are responsive to light.

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responsive in Context

"A mobile responsive website is one that adapts to fit different screens, most notably mobile phones. It can do this in a number of ways that improve visibility and usability. For example, a mobile responsive site will have pictures that change to fit the screen size. Buttons and text will do the same, so they can all be viewed properly on a phone screen." — June Potter, The Times Union (Albany, New York), 17 June 2021

Did You Know?

Responsive comes from the joining of Latin responsus with the suffix -ivus, which gave English -ive. That suffix changes verbs into adjectives, as in suggestive or corrosive. Responsus is a form of respondēre, which means "to answer" and is the source of English's respond. Responsive enters the language with the meaning "giving response" or "answering." Examples are "a responsive letter" or "a responsive glance." Nowadays, it variously describes people or things that immediately respond or react to something, such as "a responsive audience" or "a car with responsive steering."