sensible

== English == === Etymology === From Latin sēnsibilis (“perceptible by the senses, having feeling, sensible”), from sentiō (“to feel, perceive”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈsɛn.sɪ.bəl/, [ˈsɛn.sɪ.bl̩] (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈsɛn.sə.bəl/, [ˈsɛn.sə.bl̩] (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈsen.sɪ.bəl/, [ˈsen.sɪ.bl̩] === Adjective === sensible (comparative more sensible, superlative most sensible or (rare or archaic) sensiblest) Acting with or showing good sense; able to make good judgements based on reason or wisdom, or reflecting such ability. Synonym: reasonable Coordinate terms: prudent, wise, appropriate Characterized more by usefulness, practicality, or comfort than by attractiveness, formality, or fashionableness, especially of clothing. 1999, Neil Gaiman, Stardust (2001 Perennial Edition), page 8, They would walk, on fair evenings, around the village, and discuss the theory of crop rotation, and the weather, and other such sensible matters. (especially formally) Able to be sensed by the senses or the psyche; able to be perceived. Synonyms: perceptible, appreciable, detectable Antonyms: insensible, imperceptible, unappreciable, undetectable (archaic) Able to feel or perceive. (archaic) Liable to external impression; easily affected; sensitive. (archaic) Of or pertaining to the senses; sensory. (archaic) Cognizant; having the perception of something; aware of something. ==== Usage notes ==== "Sensible" describes the reasonable way in which a person may think about things or do things: It wouldn't be sensible to start all over again now. It is not comparable to its cognates in certain languages (see below at Translations section). "Sensitive" describes an emotional way in which a person may react to things: He has always been a sensitive child. I didn’t realize she was so sensitive about her work. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === sensible (plural sensibles) (obsolete) Sensation; sensibility. (obsolete) That which impresses itself on the senses; anything perceptible. 2018, Richard F. Hassing, Final Causality in Nature and Human Affairs (page 4) Accordingly, with respect to their knowability or opinability, Socrates makes no distinction among the sensibles between natural things and artifacts (510a5–6); both are relegated to the realm of opinion. Hence, there is no Socratic-Platonic biology. (obsolete) That which has sensibility; a sensitive being. === Further reading === “sensible”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “sensible”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “sensible”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin sēnsibilis. First attested in the 14th century. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [sənˈsib.blə] IPA(key): (Valencia) [senˈsi.ble] IPA(key): (Northwestern) [senˈsib.ble] === Adjective === sensible m or f (masculine and feminine plural sensibles) sentient sensitive ==== Derived terms ==== sensiblement ==== Related terms ==== insensible sensibilitat sentir === References === === Further reading === “sensible”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 “sensible” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “sensible”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan) == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /sɑ̃.sibl/ === Etymology 1 === Borrowed from Latin sēnsibilis. ==== Adjective ==== sensible (plural sensibles) sensitive ===== Derived terms ===== sensibilité sensiblement ===== Related terms ===== sentir === Etymology 2 === Ellipsis of note sensible. ==== Noun ==== sensible f (plural sensibles) (music) leading tone === Further reading === “sensible”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == German == === Pronunciation === === Adjective === sensible inflection of sensibel: strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular strong nominative/accusative plural weak nominative all-gender singular weak accusative feminine/neuter singular == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin sēnsibilis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /senˈsible/ [sẽnˈsi.β̞le] Rhymes: -ible Syllabification: sen‧si‧ble === Adjective === sensible m or f (masculine and feminine plural sensibles) sensitive Synonym: sensitivo sentient Synonym: sintiente responsive Synonym: responsivo ==== Usage notes ==== Sensible is a false friend and does not mean reasonable in Spanish. The Spanish word for that English meaning of sensible is sensato. ==== Antonyms ==== insensible ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “sensible”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025