sensuous
Americanadjective
-
gratifying the senses.
You can wear your denim jacket, but the sensuous look and feel of a velvet blazer will elevate your outfit.
-
readily affected through the senses; sensual; physical.
a sensuous temperament;
a sensuous young man.
- Synonyms:
- sensitive, feeling, voluptuous, luxurious, luscious, palatable, pleasurable, pleasing, pleasant, gratifying
-
of or relating to the senses or objects that can be perceived by the senses; sensory; material.
His observations based on sensuous experience seem self-evident, but the subsequent speculations are far-fetched.
Aristotelian scholarly tradition subjected the sensuous qualities of music to mathematical and metaphysical analysis.
adjective
-
aesthetically pleasing to the senses
-
appreciative of or moved by qualities perceived by the senses
-
of, relating to, or derived from the senses
Synonym Usage
See sensual.
Other Word Forms
-
antisensuousnessnoun
-
hypersensuousnessnoun
-
nonsensuousnessnoun
-
sensuositynoun
-
sensuousnessnoun
-
subsensuousnessnoun
-
supersensuousnessnoun
-
unsensuousnessnoun
-
antisensuousadjective
-
hypersensuousadjective
-
nonsensuousadjective
-
subsensuousadjective
-
supersensuousadjective
-
unsensuousadjective
-
sensuouslyadverb
Etymology
Origin of sensuous
First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin sēnsus “sensation, feeling, any of the five senses, awareness”; see origin at sense, -ous
Explanation
Anything that is pleasing to the senses can be called sensuous. The feel of a soft cashmere sweater on your skin, the taste of dark chocolate, even the smell of your favorite person — all of these can be sensuous experiences. Sensuous describes anything that feels, tastes, smells, looks, or sounds good. Eating delicious food or relaxing in a warm bath are sensuous activities. But something intellectually satisfying, like doing a crossword puzzle or solving a math problem, is not exactly sensuous, even if you really like doing it. Use sensuous to describe stuff that makes your five senses happy.
Vocabulary lists containing sensuous
Common Senses: Sent, Sens ("Feel")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Warm-up, List 11
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Impressively, “A Private Man” is sensuous but never salacious.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
We find ourselves in that time of year dedicated to the most sensuous and worldly of the earth signs — that is, Taurus season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2024
Initially, the prose is rich and sensuous but becomes less sumptuous as the story progresses.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 12, 2024
He evokes the natures of the key players, their feats and their settings in time and place with sensuous immediacy.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 13, 2023
The pen between my fingers is sensuous, alive almost, I can feel its power, the power of the words it contains.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
