sensational

Etymology

It is formed from English sensation + -al.^[2][3][4] Etymonline takes it from the noun in its secondary sense of excitement.^[5] sensation is from French sensation, also sēnsātiō (“perception”), from Late Latin sēnsātus (“endowed with sense”), from Latin sēnsus (“feeling”), the source of sense.^[5][6][7] The OED also counts Italian sensazione as a source of the noun.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

In philosophy, of the doctrine that all knowledge comes from the senses: 1801, in the Annual Register.^[2] Etymonline and Merriam-Webster date the adjective from 1840, in the sense "relating to sensation or the senses".^[5][8]

Semantic evolution

The plain sense "relating to the senses, sensory" is recorded from 1807.^[2] The sense that has become the main one followed the noun sensation, which had meant a wave of public interest and excitement since 1765, and a thrilling or shocking event or person since 1860.^[2] Sensational was used of popular literature and journalism that aimed at a strong emotional response, often at the expense of other qualities, from 1859 (the OED) or 1863 (Etymonline).^[2][5] From 1898 it described anything that caused great excitement in an audience or the public,^[2] and since 1909, colloquially, anything very remarkable or very good.^[2][9] As a noun, the sensational meant sensational matter from 1855, and in the United States sensationals were sensational newspapers and books from 1861 to 1913.^[2]

Timeline

• 1801 – in philosophy, of the theory that knowledge comes only from the senses.^[2]
• 1807 – relating to the senses.^[2]
• 1840 – date given by Etymonline and Merriam-Webster.^[5][8]
• 1855 – the sensational, sensational matter.^[2]
• 1859 – of literature or journalism, meant to provoke strong emotion.^[2]
• 1898 – causing great public excitement.^[2]
• 1909 – colloquial, very remarkable, very good.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Causing, or meant to cause, strong curiosity, shock or excitement, often by lurid or exaggerated details: a sensational account of the trial.^[9][8][2]
2. Causing great public interest; spectacular.^[8][2]
3. (informal) Very good; outstanding: The band was sensational last night.^[9][2][3]
4. Relating to sensation or the senses.^[9][8][2]
5. (philosophy) Relating to sensationalism, the theory that knowledge comes only from the senses.^[9][2]

Word family

• sensationally
• sensationalism
• sensationalize
• sensationalise
• unsensational

Related words

• sensation
• sense
• sensate

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
5. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
7. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
8. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
9. ^ a b c d e Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins