reactivity

[ree-ak-tiv-i-tee]

noun

1. the quality or condition of being reactive.

2. Chemistry.,  the relative capacity of an atom, molecule, or radical to undergo a chemical reaction with another atom, molecule, or compound.

3. Physics.,  a measure of the deviation from the condition at which a nuclear reactor is critical.

4. Immunology.,  the ability of an antigen to combine with an antibody.

Other Word Forms

• hyperreactivity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of reactivity¹

First recorded in 1885–90; reactive + -ity

Example Sentences

This change, known as lattice nitrogen reactivity, influences the way molecules vibrate, known as their vibrational properties.

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Changes in blood vessel reactivity and energy metabolism within the brain further illustrate how menopause affects neural health and resilience.

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"We currently do not know if any high surface reactivity – if it exists – persists in the lunar dust," he warned.

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“It tends to help people not be lost in their own reactivity.”

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"Identification of small molecules/metabolites able to activate immune cells with cancer reactivity is a key step in understanding how small molecule sensing might contribute to anti-cancer immunity."

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Related Words

• awareness 
• feeling 
• nervousness 
• sense 
• subtlety 
• sympathy