Standard Lemma guide

sensual

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈsɛnsjuːəl/
  • UK: /ˈsɛnʃuːəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈsɛn.ʃu.əl/
  • CMU ARPABET: S EH1 N SH AH0 W AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • That massage was a very sensual experience!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sexy, voluptuous

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of or pertaining to the physical senses; sensory.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Plato believed that this sensual world in which we live is inferior to the heavenly realm.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Provoking or exciting a strong response in the senses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

sexually exciting or gratifying

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • sensual excesses
  • a sultry look
  • a sultry dance

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sultry

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

marked by the appetites and passions of the body

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • animal instincts
  • carnal knowledge
  • fleshly desire
  • a sensual delight in eating
  • music is the only sensual pleasure without vice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: animal(a), carnal, fleshly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Late Latin sensualis (“endowed with feeling, sensual”), from Latin sensus (“feeling, sense”).

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: чувствен (čuvstven) — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Bulgarian: сладострастен (sladostrasten) — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Catalan: sensual — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Czech: smyslný — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Danish: sensuel — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Finnish: sensuelli — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Finnish: aistillinen — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Galician: sensual — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • German: sinnlich — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • German: lustvoll — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Hindi: कामुक (kāmuk) — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Indonesian: sensual — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Italian: sensuale — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Japanese: 官能的 (kannōteki) — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Māori: oni — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Polish: cielesny — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Polish: zmysłowy — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Romanian: senzual — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Scottish Gaelic: feòlmhor — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Scottish Gaelic: collaidh — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Serbo-Croatian: sȅnzūalan — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Serbo-Croatian: pȕten — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Serbo-Croatian: čȗlan — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Spanish: sensual — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Swedish: sensuell — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Swedish: vällustig — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Turkish: sensüel — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Vietnamese: xác thịt — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Vietnamese: nhục dục — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Welsh: cnawdol — inducing pleasurable or erotic sensations
  • Czech: smyslový — related to senses
  • Polish: zmysłowy — related to senses