sensible English · revision 10684

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1374|origins=fro sensible|origins=la-lat sensibilis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsen.sə.bəl/, /ˈsen.sɪ.bəl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|sensible]] and directly from Latin sēnsibilis, having feeling, perceptible by the senses,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from sēnsus, past participle of sentīre, to feel, perceive (see [[sense]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Perceptible by the senses: about 1374 in the OED, about 1380 in Chaucer's Boethius;^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) capable of sensation, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of people, capable of mental perception, having good sense, is from about 1400.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Johnson in 1755 condemned the sense reasonable as used only “in low conversation”, although Shakespeare, Bacon, Addison and Walpole had used it.^(Barnhart 1988) Aware or cognizant of something (''sensible of the honour'') is from the early 15th century.^(Etymonline) Of actions or speech, marked by good sense, is from the 1650s,^(Etymonline) and of clothes or shoes, practical rather than fashionable, from 1855.^(Etymonline) Middle English senses such as susceptible to pain and carnal have passed to [[sensitive]] and [[sensual]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1374 – perceptible by the senses.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – having good sense.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 15th century – aware.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1650s – reasonable (of actions).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1855 – practical (of clothes).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having or showing good sense or [[judgment]]; [[reasonable]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Practical rather than fashionable: ''sensible shoes''.^(Collins 2023)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(formal)'' Aware of: ''sensible of the danger''.^(AHD)

+ # Perceptible by the senses; appreciable.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sensibleness]]

+ * [[sensibly]]

+ * [[nonsensible]]

+ * [[oversensible]]

+ * [[unsensible]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sense]]

+ * [[sensitive]]

+ * [[sensory]]

+ * [[sensual]]

+ * [[sensuous]]

+ * [[supersensible]]

+ * [[sensibility]]

+ * [[sentient]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}