sensitization
感作
解説 Definition
免疫系がアレルゲンなどの物質に対して過敏に反応するようになる過程。
Sensitization is the process of making a person, animal, or part of the body more sensitive to something. In medicine and biology, it often means that the immune system or nerves react more strongly after earlier exposure. It can also be used more generally for becoming more aware of a social issue.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
sensitiveを知っていれば軸は「敏感」。sensitizeは「敏感にする」、さらに-ationで「その過程・作用」になるので、sensitizationは「体が刺激に反応しやすい状態へ変わっていくこと」と押さえる。医療文脈では、最初のexposureでは大きな症状が出ず、体が“覚える”ことで次回に強くreactしやすくなる前段階を指すことが多い。allergic reactionそのものではなく準備段階、desensitization（脱感作）と対で覚えると定着しやすい。
Build it step by step: `sensitive` -> `sensitize` -> `sensitization`. The core idea is becoming more sensitive over time, so the long noun means the process of that change. It is often easier to remember together with the opposite word `desensitization`.
例文
Repeated exposure to pollen can lead to sensitization and severe allergic reactions.
花粉への繰り返しの曝露は感作と重度のアレルギー反応を引き起こす可能性がある。
The sensitization process occurs when the immune system first encounters a foreign substance.
感作の過程は、免疫系が初めて異物に遭遇したときに起こる。
Early sensitization to peanuts can increase the risk of a later allergic reaction.
ピーナッツへの早期の感作は、後のアレルギー反応のリスクを高めることがある。
sensitization の類義語・関連語
sensitization の語源・成り立ち Etymology
sensitization は sensitive/sensitize に -ation が付いた近代英語の学術語で、もとはラテン語 sentire「感じる」。「感じやすくすること」という構造から、刺激や物質に体が反応しやすくなる「感作」の意味になる。関連語は sense, consent。
Sensitization is a modern learned word built from sensitize plus the noun ending -ation. The deeper root is Latin sentire, meaning "to feel," which also gave English sense and consent. The word developed from the idea of "making something more able to feel" to the scientific sense of becoming more reactive to a stimulus or substance.
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