English
sensible
Sensible comes from Latin sēnsibilis ‘perceptible by the senses, having feeling,…’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *sent- ‘to feel’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sent-‘to feel’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sentiō‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsentiō‘to feel, perceive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsēnsibilis‘perceptible by the senses, having feeling, sensible’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598sensible
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sent-‘to feel’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sentiō‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsentiō‘to feel, perceive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsēnsibilis‘perceptible by the senses, having feeling, sensible’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596–1598sensible
Earliest quotation: c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice: “with affection wondrous sensible”.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sent- ‘to feel’
through Proto-Italic *sentiō ‘to feel, to sense, to perceive’
through Latin sentiō ‘to feel, perceive’
sense, sentence, consent, sentiment, scent, consensus, sensation, sensor, resent, sensual, sentient, assent, sensuous, sentience, sensu, 34 more
Today it means
adj Acting with or showing good sense; able to make good judgements based on reason or wisdom, or reflecting such ability.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sent- / sensible