Heedful; intent; observant; regarding with care or attention. [1913 Webster]
" Attentive is applied to the senses of hearing and seeing, as, an attentive ear or eye; to the application of the mind, as in contemplation; or to the application of the mind, in every possible sense, as when a person is attentive to the words, and to the manner and matter, of a speaker at the same time." [1913 Webster]
Heedful of the comfort of others; courteous. [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Heedful; intent; observant; mindful; regardful; circumspect; watchful.

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

attentive, adj.
1 concentrating; paying attention.
2 assiduously polite.
3 heedful.

Derivative

attentively adv. attentiveness n.

Etymology

ME f. F attentif -ive f. attente, OF atente, fem. past part. of atendre ATTEND

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THESAURUS

attentive

accommodating, accommodative, accurate, advertent, affable, agile, agog, agreeable, alert, alive, all ears, all eyes, assiduous, attenuate, awake, aware, bright, cap in hand, careful, cautious, ceremonious, circumspect, civil, close, complaisant, concentrated, concentrating, conscientious, conscious, considerate, correct, courteous, courtly, critical, curious, deferential, delicate, demanding, detailed, diligent, dutiful, eager, earnest, exact, exacting, exigent, exquisite, fair, fine, finical, finicking, finicky, fussy, gallant, graceful, gracious, heedful, helpful, honorific, indulgent, intense, intent, intentive, interested, keen, lenient, listening, loving, meticulous, mindful, mindful of others, minute, narrow, nice, niggling, nimble, obliging, observant, observing, on the, on the alert, on the ball, on the job, open-eared, open-eyed, openmouthed, particular, polite, precise, precisianistic, precisionistic, prompt, punctilious, punctual, qui vive, quick, ready, reedy, refined, regardful, religious, respectful, rigid, rigorous, scrupulous, scrutinizing, sharp, sleepless, slender, slight, slim, smart, solicitous, strict, subtle, tactful, tender, tenuous, thoughtful, tolerant, twiggy, unblinking, unnodding, unsleeping, unwinking, urbane, wakeful, watchful, wide-awake

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ROGET THESAURUS

attentive

Attention

N attention, mindfulness, presence of mind, intentness, intentiveness, alertness, thought, advertence, advertency, observance, observation, consideration, reflection, perpension, heed, heedfulness, particularity, notice, regard, circumspection, diligence, study, scrutiny inspection, introspection, revision, revisal, active application, diligent application, exclusive application, minute application, close application, intense application, deep application, profound application, abstract application, labored application, deliberate application, active attention, diligent attention, exclusive attention, minute attention, close attention, intense attention, deep attention, profound attention, abstract attention, labored attention, deliberate attention, active thought, diligent thought, exclusive thought, minute thought, close thought, intense thought, deep thought, profound thought, abstract thought, labored thought, deliberate thought, active study, diligent study, exclusive study, minute study, close study, intense study, deep study, profound study, abstract study, labored study, deliberate study, minuteness, attention to detail, absorption of mind, indication, calling attention to, attentive, mindful, observant, regardful, alive to, awake to, observing, alert, open-eyed, intent on, taken up with, occupied with, engaged in, engrossed in, wrapped in, absorbed, rapt, transfixed, riveted, mesmerized, hypnotized, glued to (the TV, the window, a book), breathless, preoccupied, watchful, breathless, undistracted, upon the stretch, on the watch, steadfast, interesting, engrossing, mesmerizing, riveting, Int, see!, look, look here, look you, look to it!, mark!, lo!, behold!, soho!, hark, hark ye!, mind!, halloo!, observe!, lo and behold!, attention!, nota bene, N, B, note well, I'd have you to know, notice!, O yes!, Oyez!, dekko!, ecco!, yoho!, this is to give notice, these are to give notice, dictum sapienti sat est, a word to the wise is sufficient, finem respice, Attention! Now hear this! Oyez!, Achtung, vnimanie, chui.

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