sensual

[ sen-shoo-uhl ]

adjective

1. pertaining to, inclined to, or preoccupied with the gratification of the senses or appetites; carnal; fleshly.
2. lacking in moral restraints; lewd or unchaste.

   Synonyms: lascivious

3. arousing or exciting the senses or appetites.
4. worldly; materialistic; irreligious.
5. of or relating to the senses or physical sensation; sensory.
6. pertaining to the philosophical doctrine of sensationalism.

sensual

/ ˈsɛnsjʊəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to any of the senses or sense organs; bodily
2. strongly or unduly inclined to gratification of the senses
3. tending to arouse the bodily appetites, esp the sexual appetite
4. of or relating to sensualism

Derived Forms

• ˈsensually, adverb
• ˈsensualness, noun

Other Words From

• sen·su·al·ly adverb
• hy·per·sen·su·al adjective
• hy·per·sen·su·al·ness noun
• non·sen·su·al adjective
• sub·sen·su·al adjective
• trans·sen·su·al adjective
• un·sen·su·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sensual¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin sēnsuālis, equivalent to sēnsu-, stem of sēnsus sense + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sensual¹

C15: from Late Latin sensuālis, from Latin sēnsus sense . Compare French sensuel, Italian sensuale

Synonym Study

Sensual, sensuous, voluptuous refer to experience through the senses. Sensual refers, often unfavorably, to the enjoyments derived from the senses, especially from the gratification or indulgence of physical appetites: a sensual delight in eating; sensual excesses. Sensuous refers, favorably or literally, to what is experienced through the senses: sensuous impressions; sensuous poetry. Voluptuous implies the luxurious gratification of sensuous or sensual desires: voluptuous joys; voluptuous beauty. carnal.

Example Sentences

Seeing him, his extra large lips whispered something to a fellow inmate as they shared sensual smiles.

From Washington Blade

Park directs with a creativity and confidence buoyed by his geographic relocation of the source material, introducing a playful chronology and leaning into bold, sensual images.

From Time

Blood is running free—sometimes gross, sometimes sensual—in pop culture.

From The Daily Beast

The actor transformed from a sensual Marilyn Monroe to a whimsical Salvador Dali to a starving migrant mother, seamlessly.

From The Daily Beast

Game of Thrones had an overly sensual libertine while House of Cards had a manipulative psychopath.

From The Daily Beast

“Sexy Danger” has all the wild, sensual energy of “Drunk in Love,” but with absolutely no words!

From The Daily Beast

So I felt it was really important to create a very sensual film that could also tell a story.

From The Daily Beast

Some peculiar lines between these contracted brows gave a character of ferocity to this forbidding and sensual face.

From Project Gutenberg

How could she be at the same time both cruel and tender, both true and false, frank and secretive, spiritual and sensual?

From Project Gutenberg

The religion they preached was not adapted to please sensual men; even infidels admit that they preached a pure morality.

From Project Gutenberg

The sensual and abominable Carinus displayed the extravagancies of Heliogabalus, aggravated by the cruelty of Domitian.

From Project Gutenberg

His tastes and desires were manifested by his sensual lips, his small, dull eyes and throaty voice.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• exciting
• sensuous
• sexual
• sexy
• tactile
• voluptuous