reactive

[ree-ak-tiv]

adjective

tending to react.

pertaining to or characterized by reaction.

Electricity. pertaining to or characterized by reactance.

Origin of reactive

First recorded in 1705–15; react + -ive

Related formsre·ac·tive·ly, adverbre·ac·tive·ness, nounan·ti·re·ac·tive, adjectivehy·per·re·ac·tive, adjectivenon·re·ac·tive, adjectiveo·ver·re·ac·tive, adjectiveun·re·ac·tive, adjective

Can be confusedproactive reactionary reactive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for overreactive

reactive

adjective

readily partaking in chemical reactionssodium is a reactive metal; free radicals are very reactive

of, concerned with, or having a reactance

responsive to stimulus

(of mental illnesses) precipitated by an external causereactive depression

Derived Formsreactively, adverbreactivity (ˌriːækˈtɪvɪtɪ) or reactiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for overreactive

reactive

adj.

1712, from react + -ive. Related: Reactively; reactiveness; reactivity.

overreactive in Medicine

reactive

[rē-ăk′tĭv]

adj.

Tending to be responsive or to react to a stimulus.

Characterized by reaction.

Tending to participate readily in chemical reactions.