1 sentient | Definition of sentient
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sentient

adjective
sen·​tient | \ ˈsen(t)-sh(ē-)ənt How to pronounce sentient (audio) , ˈsen-tē-ənt\

Definition of sentient

1 : responsive to or conscious of sense impressions sentient beings
2 : aware
3 : finely sensitive in perception or feeling
Other Words from sentient Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about sentient

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Other Words from sentient

sentiently adverb

Did You Know?

You may have guessed that sentient has something to do with the senses. The initial spelling sent- or sens- is often a giveaway for such a meaning. A sentient being is one who perceives and responds to sensations of whatever kind - sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell. Sentient ultimately comes from the Latin verb sentire, which means "to feel" and is related to the noun sensus, meaning "feeling" or "sense." A few related English words are sentiment and sentimental, which have to do with emotions, and sensual, which relates to more physical sensations.

Examples of sentient in a Sentence

sentient of the danger posed by the approaching hurricane

Recent Examples on the Web

 That this way of reading is, now, essential to the practice of any halfway serious reader or fractionally sentient critic is due, in no small part, to Morrison’s radiating influence. — Troy Patterson, The New Yorker, "The Indelible Substance of a Semester with Toni Morrison," 7 Aug. 2019 Themes include the idea of nature as a sentient life force; the existence of fantastic, shape-shifting creatures; and, of course, the definition of reality and human consciousness. — Mary Mcnamara, latimes.com, "Finished Netflix’s ‘Dark.’ What’s the German word for ‘pissed’?," 12 July 2019 How else could so many sentient toys scurry so cavalierly around playgrounds and along highways, day and night, without anyone noticing? — N.b., The Economist, "“Toy Story 4” is another enjoyable, nostalgic adventure," 21 June 2019 In consuming less, creating communities and connections, concentrating on clean energy, and caring for all living, sentient beings are the preservation of the world. — Hasan Zillur Rahim, The Mercury News, "Opinion: Thoreau looms large on Independence Day," 3 July 2019 Biochemical reactions give rise to sentient beings. — Quanta Magazine, "To Solve the Biggest Mystery in Physics, Join Two Kinds of Law," 7 Sep. 2017 The basketball and hockey playoffs are buzzing, baseball’s thawing from its Arctic April, and sentient beings, perhaps from outer space, appear to have hijacked the New York Jets, and made a smart quarterback draft pick. — Jason Gay, WSJ, "‘Dancing With the Stars’ Twirls to the Jocks," 29 Apr. 2018 This go-round, the crew of the USS Discovery will be facing its greatest threat yet: a being or entity intent on wiping out all sentient beings in the Universe. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Spock smiles in the face of danger in new trailer for Star Trek: Discovery S2," 13 Dec. 2018 From Cold War hallucinations to futures ruined by climate change and overtaken by sentient military AI, Call of Duty: Black Ops has always provided players with absurd and fascinating sites of cultural exploration. — Julie Muncy, WIRED, "Yes, Call of Duty's Single-Player Campaign Will Be Missed," 18 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sentient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of sentient

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for sentient

Latin sentient-, sentiens, present participle of sentire to perceive, feel

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More Definitions for sentient

sentient

adjective
How to pronounce sentient (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of sentient

technical + formal : able to feel, see, hear, smell, or taste

See the full definition for sentient in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sentient

adjective
sen·​tient | \ ˈsen-ch(ē-)ənt How to pronounce sentient (audio) , ˈsent-ē-ənt How to pronounce sentient (audio) \

Medical Definition of sentient

: responsive to or conscious of sense impressions

Other Words from sentient

sentiently adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on sentient

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with sentient

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sentient

Spanish Central: Translation of sentient

Nglish: Translation of sentient for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of sentient for Arabic Speakers

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