sensus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsẽː.sʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛn.sus]^[1]

Forms

sēnsus m (genitive sēnsūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sentiō (“to feel, perceive”) + -tus, an action noun.^[2][1][3] The verb is inherited from Proto-Italic *s(e)nt-ije/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *snt-ie/o-; its meaning connects it with a Balto-Slavic root *snt- “to think”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan finds it from Varro onwards,^[3] who says the greatest of the five senses is in the eyes,^[2] and Köbler from Catullus.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the capacity to perceive, sensation, and each of the five senses, which the Rhetorica ad Herennium lists as sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste.^[2] It meant a sensation or impression, the faculties of perception, and consciousness, as Cicero's “we are born without awareness”.^[2]

It meant judgment or understanding, as in sensus communis, the common sense of ordinary people, feeling or emotion, one's feelings towards someone, and an idea or thought.^[2][1] In rhetoric Quintilian used it of a sentence or period.^[2] English sense came from it through Old French in the late 14th century, first as “meaning”.^[5]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the five senses.^[2][4]
• 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium lists the five senses.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of consciousness and judgment.^[2][4]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a sentence.^[2][4]
• late 14th century – English sense is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Perception, sensation.^[2][1]
2. A sense (sight, hearing, etc.).^[2][1]
3. An impression, sensation.^[2]
4. The faculties of perception.^[2]
5. Consciousness.^[2][1]
6. Judgment, understanding, sensus communis: common feeling, common sense.^[2][1]
7. A feeling, emotion.^[2][1]
8. One's attitude, sentiment (towards someone).^[2]
9. An idea, thought.^[2][1]
10. (rhetoric) A sentence, period.^[2][4]

Word family

• exsensus
• sēnsātus
• sensiculus
• sēnsifer
• sēnsificō
• sēnsificus
• sēnsilis
• sēnsilocus
• sēnsuālis
• sēnsūtus
• sēnsiloquus
• sēnsōrium

Related words

• sentio
• English sense

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com