sensory

S1E1N1S1O1R1Y4
Canada, US, UK/ˈsɛn.sə.ɹi/Australia, New Zealand/ˈsen.sə.ɹi/

adjective

Of the physical senses or sensation.

“sensory neurons”

Opposite
CommonScrabble 10

Meanings

adjectivesensory (not comparable)

alternative sensoric

  1. not comparableOf the physical senses or sensation.

    It is evident that in the ancestor of these two groups the first pair of appendages became early adapted for purely sensory purposes, and were naturally projected far in advance of the mouth, forming the antennæ.

    1873, Alpheus Spring Packard, “Hints on the Ancestry of Insects”, in Our Common Insects: A Popular Account of the Insects of Our Fields, Forests, Gardens and Houses, Salem: Naturalists’ Agency, page 174
    2 more examples

    The Species of things are perceived rather there whereto they are carried. But every ſenſory Nerve each in its place carries the Species to the beginning of the ſpinal Marrow, and therefore each in their place are judged and received by the Soul, in the beginning of the ſpinal Marrow.

    1665, Thomas Bartholin, chapter VI, in anonymous translator, Bartholinus Anatomy, London: Nich. Culpeper and Abdiah Cole, translation of Anatomia (in New Latin), page 142

    Findings of the sensory analysis panel at NWFSC [the Northwest Fisheries Science Center], which tested and classified flesh characteristics of both Pacific and giant grenadier, are averaged and summarized in Table 10.

    1991, Tetsuo Matsui, Susumu Kato, Susan E. Smith, “Biology and Potential Use of Pacific Grenadier, Coryphaenoides acrolepis, off California”, in Marine Fisheries Review, volume 52, number 3, →ISSN, page 13
  2. not comparableanatomyConveying nerve impulses from the sense organs to the nerve centers.

    sensory neurons

    Synonyms: afferent

nounsensory (plural sensories)

plural sensories · alternative sensoric

  1. datedbiologyThe sensorium.

    Is not the Senſory of Animals that place to which the ſenſitive Subſtance is preſent, and into which the ſenſible Species of Things are carried through the Nerves and Brain, that there they may be perceived by their immediate preſence to that ſubſtance ?

    1704, Sir Isaac Newton, Opticks, 3rd edition, London: W. and J. Innys, published 1721, page 344
  2. obsoleteAn organ or faculty of sense.

    BOth of them ſpread themſelues in Round, and fill a whole Floare or Orbe, vnto certaine Limits : and are carried a great way : And doe languiſh and leſſen by degrees, according to the Diſtance of the Obiects from the Senſories.

    a. 1626, Francis Bacon, “Consent of Visibles, and Audibles”, in Sylva Sylvarvm: Or, A Naturall Historie, 3rd edition, London: William Rawley, published 1631, page 68
    1 more example

    Dr. Burnet, late Bishop of Sarum, on 4 Heb. v. 13, anatomically describing the texture of the eye[…]so God who made this sensorie, did with the greatest ease and at once see all that was don thro’ the vast universe, even to the very thought as well as action.

    1689–90, John Evelyn, edited by William Bray, Memoirs of John Evelyn, new edition, volume III, London: Henry Colburn, published 1827, page 292

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveConveying nerve impulses from the sense organs to the nerve centers.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveof a nerve fiber or impulse originating outside and passing toward the central nervous system

adjectiveinvolving or derived from the senses

Similar
Opposite

adjectiverelating to or concerned in sensation

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*sent-
  2. Proto-Italic*sentiō
  3. Latinsentiō
  4. Latinsēnsu
  5. Proto-Germanic*sinnaz
  6. Frankish*sinn
  7. Vulgar Latin*sennus
  8. Old Frenchsens
  9. Middle Englishsense
  10. Englishsense
  11. Englishsensory

From sense + -ory.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans sensories
  • sensoriesof the senses or sensation
Arabic حِسِّيّ, حِسِّيَّة
  • حِسِّيّ (ḥissiyy)of the senses or sensation
  • حِسِّيَّة (ḥissiyya)of the senses or sensation
Bulgarian сетивен
  • сетивен (setiven)of the senses or sensation
Catalan sensorial, sensori
  • sensorialof the senses or sensation
  • sensoriof the senses or sensation
Chinese Mandarin 感覺的 /感觉的
  • 感覺的 /感觉的 (gǎnjuéde)of the senses or sensation
Czech smyslový
  • smyslovýof the senses or sensation
Finnish aisti-, aistimuksellinen
  • aisti-of the senses or sensation
  • aistimuksellinenof the senses or sensation
  • aistinvarainenof the senses or sensation
  • sensorinenof the senses or sensation
French sensoriel
  • sensorielof the senses or sensation
German Sinnes-, sensorisch
  • Sinnes-of the senses or sensation
  • sensorischof the senses or sensation
Greek αισθητήριος
  • αισθητήριος (aisthitírios)of the senses or sensation
Irish céadfach, céadfaíoch
  • céadfachof the senses or sensation
  • céadfaíochof the senses or sensation
Italian sensoriale
  • sensorialeof the senses or sensation
Norwegian Bokmål sansemessig, sensorisk
  • sansemessigof the senses or sensation
  • sensoriskof the senses or sensation
Portuguese sensorial
  • sensorialof the senses or sensation
Romanian senzorial
  • senzorialof the senses or sensation
Spanish sensorial, sensorio
  • sensorialof the senses or sensation
  • sensorioof the senses or sensation
Turkish duyusal, duyumsal
  • duyusalof the senses or sensation
  • duyumsalof the senses or sensation

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with sensory

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

sensory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sensory

MLA

“sensory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sensory. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sensory,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sensory.

Source: sensory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.