English
sensable
Sensable comes from Old French sens ‘reason’, from Proto-Germanic *sinnaz ‘sense, perception’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sent-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sent-1‘to perceive’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sentiō1‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsentiō1‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsēnsus1‘perception, feeling, sensation’
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sinnaz1‘sense, perception’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*sinn1reconstructed
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*sennus1‘sense, reason’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sens1‘reason’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sense1‘meaning, signification’
- English1500–presentsense1
- Englishearliest quotation 2010sensable1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English sensable
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2010, "American", Great: “Put on your thinking cap and go see an…”.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sent-Wiktionary, English sensable‘to perceive’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sentiōWiktionary, English sensable‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsentiōWiktionary, English sensable‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsēnsusWiktionary, English sensable‘perception, feeling, sensation’
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*sinnazWiktionary, English sensable‘sense, perception’reconstructed
- Frankishc. 250–700*sinnWiktionary, English sensablereconstructed
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*sennusWiktionary, English sensable‘sense, reason’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sensWiktionary, English sensable‘reason’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500senseWiktionary, English sensable‘meaning, signification’
- English1500–presentsenseWiktionary, English sensable
- Englishearliest quotation 2010sensableWiktionary, English sensable. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2010, "American", Great: “Put on your thinking cap and go see an…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sent- ‘to perceive’
through Proto-Italic *sentiō ‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’
through Latin sentiō ‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’
sentence, sensitive, consent, sentiment, scent, consensus, sensor, sensible, resent, sensibility, sentient, assent, sentience, 30 more
through Latin sēnsus ‘perception, feeling, sensation’
sensual, sensuous, sensu, 17 more
through Middle English sense ‘meaning, signification’
through English sense
Today it means
adj Capable of being sensed; perceptible, tangible.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “sensable”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sent- / sensable