From Old French atentif, from Latin attendere, meaning “to give heed” or literally “to stretch toward.” The sense of caring actively for another person's needs developed by the early 16th century.
From Old French atentif, from Latin attendere, meaning “to give heed” or literally “to stretch toward.” The sense of caring actively for another person's needs developed by the early 16th century.
What does attentive mean?
Attentive means paying close attention or carefully noticing and responding to someone's needs.
Can attentive describe a listener?
Yes. An attentive listener follows what is said closely and notices important details.
What preposition follows attentive?
Attentive is commonly followed by to, as in “attentive to detail” or “attentive to her needs.”
Is attentive the same as considerate?
They overlap in the caring sense, but attentive stresses noticing needs while considerate stresses thinking about another person's feelings.
What is the opposite of attentive?
Inattentive is the direct opposite in the focus sense, while neglectful is a strong opposite in the caring sense.
Where does attentive come from?
Attentive came through Old French from Latin attendere, whose image was stretching the mind toward something.