sentient
Americanadjective
-
having the power of perception by the senses; conscious.
-
characterized by sensation and consciousness.
noun
-
a person or thing that is sentient.
-
Archaic. the conscious mind.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- nonsentient adjective
- nonsentiently adverb
- sentiently adverb
- unsentient adjective
- unsentiently adverb
Etymology
Origin of sentient
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin sentient-, stem of sentiēns “feeling,” present participle of sentīre “to feel” sense ( def. )
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.
No, I don’t mean that your children will soon be disciplined by chatbots or diaper-changed by sentient robots.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
Grace will eventually make an alien friend, a five-limbed spider-shaped sentient rock he names Rocky.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
“This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI’s mission: scaling to make a sentient sun to understand the universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars!”
From MarketWatch • Feb. 2, 2026
“This marks not just the next chapter, but the next book in SpaceX and xAI’s mission: scaling to make a sentient sun to understand the Universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars!”
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
It’s the fastest download ever, like it’s some sentient being who understands the whole point of its existence is that time is running out for someone.
From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera
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.
