Dictionary

sensation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /sɛnˈseɪʃən/
• (US) audio
• sĕn-sā'shən

Etymology

From Old French, from Medieval Latin sensatio, from Latin sensus.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A physical feeling or perception from something that comes into contact with the body; something sensed.
   • Water and electricity might not mix, but water and battery-powered fun sure do. Whether you are using a vibe alone or with a partner, in the tub or in the shower, the sensation of intense vibration feels especially nice underwater. Although waterproof vibrators can resemble anything from a lipstick to a kitty cat, most have one of four basic designs. 2008, Tamar Love, “Turning On in the Tub”, in The Sensual Bath: Soaking in Pleasure and Passion (Sex/Relationships), Sterling/Ravenous, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 86, column 1:
   • Confining ourselves, for the moment, to sensations, we find that there are different degrees of publicity attaching to different sorts of sensations. If you feel a toothache when the other people in the room do not, you are in no way surprised; but if you hear a clap of thunder when they do not, you begin to be alarmed as to your mental condition. 1921, Bertrand Russell, The Analysis of Mind:
   • Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was, felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, her alluring smile; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
2. (countable, uncountable) Excitation of sensory organs.
   • Coordinate term: perception
   • In the dead state all is apparently without motion. No agent within indicates design, intelligence, or foresight: there is no respiration; […] no sensation; […] 1822, John Barclay, chapter I, in An Inquiry Into the Opinions, Ancient and Modern, Concerning Life and Organization, Edinburgh; London: Bell & Bradfute; Waugh & Innes; G. & W. B. Whittaker, section I, page 2:
3. (countable, uncountable) A widespread reaction of interest or excitement.
   • Young Derby's odd genius developed remarkably, and in his eighteenth year his collected nightmare-lyrics made a real sensation when issued under the title Azathoth and Other Horrors. 1937, H. P. Lovecraft, The Thing on the Doorstep:
   • “Two or three months more went by; the public were eagerly awaiting the arrival of this semi-exotic claimant to an English peerage, and sensations, surpassing those of the Tichbourne case, were looked forward to with palpitating interest. […]” 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Tremarn Case”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
4. (countable, dated, figuratively, uncommon, uncountable) A remarkable person.
   • You truly are a sensation.
5. (archaic, countable, slang, uncountable) A small serving of gin or sherry.
   • A Sensation . . . . Half-a-glass of sherry. 1852, George Butler Earp, Gold Seeker's Manual, page 52:
   • When men go into a 'sluicery' for a 'sensation,' a 'drain,' or a 'common sewer,' they call the glass of gin they seek, in allusion to the juniper, a 'nipper,' or, more briefly, a 'nip,' occasionally a 'bite,' and not unfrequently it turns out a 'flogger.' 1869, Meliora, volume 12, page 47:

Forms

Antonyms

lack of sensation

Deriveds

sensation time · subsensation · thermosensation · hygrosensation · aerosensation · orosensation · aftersensation · double sensation · presensation · osmosensation · resensation · sensation play · thermal sensation · mechanosensation · sensation-monger · photosensation · magnetosensation · sensationism · chemosensation · sensationist · hypersensation · sensationless · somatosensation

Hyponyms

formication · tickling · palpitation · paresthesia · phantom limb · giddiness · prickle · vertigo · dizziness · sound · faintness · pins and needles · heat · thirst · hot flash · itch · taste · pain · sinking feeling · smell · light-headedness · hunger · obdormition · touch · tingling

Relateds

sensation novel · sensational · sense · sensible · sensitive · sensual · sensation fiction · sensory · emotion

Synonyms

perception · sensation · event · feeling

Translations (117)

lt pojūtis (physical feeling) · tr duygu (physical feeling) · cmn 感覺 /感觉 (physical feeling) · tr sansasyon (widespread excitement) · tg эҳсос (physical feeling) · mk сензација (widespread excitement) · ru чу́вство (physical feeling) · eo sento (physical feeling) · mk осет (physical feeling) · et sensatsioon (widespread excitement) · sh сенза́ција (widespread excitement) · sh ȍsećāj (physical feeling) · it colpo (widespread excitement) · az sensasiya (widespread excitement) · pl czucie (physical feeling) · sk pocit (physical feeling) · eo sentaĵo (excitation of sensory organs) · gd faireachdainn (physical feeling) · be сэнса́цыя (widespread excitement) · ko 감동 (widespread excitement) · cmn 轟動 /轰动 (widespread excitement) · it sensazione (widespread excitement) · nl sensatie (widespread excitement) · lt sensacija (widespread excitement) · sl senzacija (widespread excitement) · nb sensasjon (widespread excitement) · da følelse (physical feeling) · be пачуццё (physical feeling) · sv känsla (physical feeling) · it impressione (widespread excitement) · sk senzácia (widespread excitement) · lad sansasyon (physical feeling) · sl občutek (physical feeling) · sh о̏сећа̄ј (physical feeling) · uz sensatsiya (widespread excitement) · pt sensação (widespread excitement) · lv sensācija (widespread excitement) · bg усе́щане (physical feeling) · hu érzés (physical feeling) · ja センセーション (widespread excitement) · izh tuntu (physical feeling) · it senso (physical feeling) · pl sensacja (widespread excitement) · fa حِسّ (physical feeling) · ka სენსაცია (widespread excitement) · fi aistimus (excitation of sensory organs) · cmn 知覺 /知觉 (physical feeling) · hi संवेदन (physical feeling) · hy զգայություն (physical feeling) · gv ard-haghyrt (widespread excitement) · ro senzație (widespread excitement) · uk відчуття́ (physical feeling) · fi tunne (physical feeling) · it impressione (physical feeling) · uz his (physical feeling) · de Empfindung (physical feeling) · de Gefühl (physical feeling) · uk почуття́ (physical feeling) · hu érzékelés (physical feeling) · cs senzace (widespread excitement) · ro simț (physical feeling) · hy սենսացիա (widespread excitement) · da sensation (widespread excitement) · mi ānini (physical feeling) · fr sensation (physical feeling) · ja 感動 (widespread excitement) · nb følelse (physical feeling) · bg сетиво́ (physical feeling) · pl uczucie (physical feeling) · tg ҳангома (widespread excitement) · ka შეგრძნება (physical feeling) · tr his (physical feeling) · hy զգացում (physical feeling) · grc αἴσθησις (physical feeling) · be адчува́нне (physical feeling) · nn sensasjon (widespread excitement) · sv sensation (widespread excitement) · ru сенса́ция (widespread excitement) · cs pocit (physical feeling) · fr sensation (widespread excitement) · mr संवेदना (physical feeling) · kk түйсік (physical feeling) · nl gevoel (physical feeling) · ka გრძნობა (physical feeling) · fa اِحساس (physical feeling) · ar حِسّ (physical feeling) · uk сенса́ція (widespread excitement) · fi kohu (widespread excitement) · ko 감각 (physical feeling) · el αίσθηση (physical feeling) · ca sensació (physical feeling) · bg чу́вство (physical feeling) · be сенса́цыя (widespread excitement) · tr duyu (physical feeling) · ar حَاسَّة (physical feeling) · fi sensaatio (widespread excitement) · tk sensasiýa (widespread excitement) · te సంచలనం (widespread excitement) · tg ҳис (physical feeling) · es sensación (physical feeling) · it effetto sensazionale (widespread excitement) · ru ощуще́ние (physical feeling) · ur حِس (physical feeling) · az hiss (physical feeling) · sv förnimmelse (physical feeling) · hu szenzáció (widespread excitement) · de Sensation (widespread excitement) · bg сенза́ция (widespread excitement) · ja 感覚 (physical feeling) · sh senzácija (widespread excitement) · fi tuntemus (physical feeling) · lv sajūta (physical feeling) · az duyğu (physical feeling) · ro senzație (physical feeling) · ky сенсация (widespread excitement) · it sensazione (physical feeling) · pt sensação (physical feeling)