sensuous

[ sen-shoo-uhs ]

adjective

1. gratifying the senses:

   You can wear your denim jacket, but the sensuous look and feel of a velvet blazer will elevate your outfit.

2. 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

3. 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.

sensuous

/ ˈsɛnsjʊəs /

adjective

1. aesthetically pleasing to the senses
2. appreciative of or moved by qualities perceived by the senses
3. of, relating to, or derived from the senses

Derived Forms

• ˈsensuousness, noun
• ˈsensuously, adverb

Other Words From

• sen·su·ous·ly adverb
• sen·su·ous·ness sen·su·os·i·ty [sen-shoo-, os, -i-tee], noun
• an·ti·sen·su·ous adjective
• an·ti·sen·su·ous·ness noun
• hy·per·sen·su·ous adjective
• hy·per·sen·su·ous·ness noun
• non·sen·su·ous adjective
• non·sen·su·ous·ness noun
• sub·sen·su·ous adjective
• sub·sen·su·ous·ness noun
• su·per·sen·su·ous adjective
• su·per·sen·su·ous·ness noun
• un·sen·su·ous adjective
• un·sen·su·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sensuous¹

First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin sēnsus “sensation, feeling, any of the five senses, awareness”; sense, -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of sensuous¹

C17: apparently coined by Milton to avoid the unwanted overtones of sensual ; not in common use until C19: from Latin sēnsus sense + -ous

Synonym Study

See sensual.

Example Sentences

Smith's sensuous delivery was a subversive step forward for country music but Kristofferson's own version - croaky-voiced and dripping with hunger - is just as much of a thrill.

From BBC

“A fleshy, sensuous journey that pushes the limits of the medium in ways that only Carroll can. A skin-crawling gem, not to be missed,” wrote the selection committee.

From Los Angeles Times

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

Initially, the prose is rich and sensuous but becomes less sumptuous as the story progresses.

From Seattle Times

Zhang evokes the sensuous delight of working with fresh ingredients in a time when certain flavors are essentially extinct.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• lush
• sensual
• voluptuous