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sensible

Etymology and origin of the English word sensible

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1374
Borrowed from
Old French sensible
Ultimate origin
Late Latin (sensibilis)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈsen.sə.bəl/, /ˈsen.sɪ.bəl/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Old French sensible and directly from Latin sēnsibilis, having feeling, perceptible by the senses,[2][3][4] from sēnsus, past participle of sentīre, to feel, perceive (see sense).[2][3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Perceptible by the senses: about 1374 in the OED, about 1380 in Chaucer's Boethius;[6][2] capable of sensation, the late 14th century in Etymonline.[3]

Semantic evolution

Of people, capable of mental perception, having good sense, is from about 1400.[3][2] Johnson in 1755 condemned the sense reasonable as used only “in low conversation”, although Shakespeare, Bacon, Addison and Walpole had used it.[2] Aware or cognizant of something (sensible of the honour) is from the early 15th century.[3] Of actions or speech, marked by good sense, is from the 1650s,[3] and of clothes or shoes, practical rather than fashionable, from 1855.[3] Middle English senses such as susceptible to pain and carnal have passed to sensitive and sensual.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1374 – perceptible by the senses.[6]
  • c. 1400 – having good sense.[3][2]
  • early 15th century – aware.[3]
  • 1650s – reasonable (of actions).[3]
  • 1855 – practical (of clothes).[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Having or showing good sense or judgment; reasonable.
  2. Practical rather than fashionable: sensible shoes.
  3. (formal) Aware of: sensible of the danger.
  4. Perceptible by the senses; appreciable.

Word family

  • sensibleness
  • sensibly
  • nonsensible
  • oversensible
  • unsensible

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Sensible.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/sensible. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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