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Glite Dictionary
to photosensitize

to photosensitize

9.7
Make skin, cells, or a tumor more sensitive to light
  • verb
  • /ˌfoʊtəʊˈsɛnɪtaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fotosensibilizar
  • Certain medications can photosensitize the skin, making individuals more prone to sunburns.

Examples

  • In laboratory studies, scientists photosensitize cells to test how they react to different wavelengths of light.

  • Some plants produce compounds that can photosensitize nearby organisms to the effects of sunlight.

  • Furocoumarins are photosensitizing chemicals; lichen spinulosus is a histologic feature of the comedones in their presence.

    Blog text (21)

  • The degree of protection can, however, be reduced by personal behavior that increases UVR exposure, as well as through the ingestion of photosensitizing drugs or photoallergic reactions to chemicals or cosmetics that come in contact with the skin.

    Academic text (1998)

Synonyms

to sensitize
vsto photosensitize
  • Specialized
1 7.3

Make a material react to light by coating it with a special chemical

is broader, making things light sensitive by any means, not only by coating
to hypersensitize
vsto photosensitize
  • Specialized
8.4

Make a device react to lower levels of light or signals

raises sensitivity generally but not specifically to very low light levels
sensitizing
vsto photosensitize
  • US
7.0

To make a person or animal more likely to react to touch and strong feelings

applies specifically to sensitivity to radiant energy like light rather than emotions

Antonyms

to desensitize
10 6.3

To make people and animals feel less strong reactions to pain, fear or loud sounds, often by repeated exposure

Surface Forms

photosensitize infinitive
photosensitized past
photosensitized past participle
photosensitizing present participle
photosensitizes third person singular

Morphology

photosensitize = sensitize (transparent) = photo + sensitize

The meaning is directly compositional: photo- 'light' plus sensitize 'make sensitive' yields 'make sensitive to light'.

Etymology

Photosensitize combines photo- meaning 'light', the same photo- in photograph, and sensitize meaning 'make sensitive'. So, to photosensitize something is to make it more sensitive to light.