What does sensory mean?
Sensory is an adjective meaning connected with the senses or with the way the body receives and interprets information from its surroundings. It can describe ordinary experiences, such as a sensory impression or sensory perception, as well as medical or psychological processes involving sensory nerves, processing, and sensitivity. The word is especially useful when an experience depends on sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell, but it can also refer to internal bodily sensations such as pain, pressure, or temperature. In everyday descriptions, sensory language often emphasizes vividness or intensity: a place may be visually, acoustically, or sensorially overwhelming. Because sensory concerns the mechanisms and experience of perception rather than sensuality or physical attraction, it is distinct from sensual. The word is common across British and American English and is particularly frequent in scientific, clinical, educational, and technological contexts.
adjectiveRelating to the senses or to the process of receiving sensory information. In medicine and psychology, it describes the organs, pathways, or experiences involved in hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell, and related bodily perceptions.
- Relating to the senses or to sensory perception.
- Of or involving the body's sense organs or sensory pathways.
"The treatment can cause temporary sensory changes, including tingling and heightened sensitivity to light."
"Some people experience sensory overload in crowded, brightly lit environments."
"The device translates sound into a sensory pattern that the user can feel."
From a whispered conversation to the sting of cold air, sensory experience assembles a constant picture of the world—and occasionally overwhelms it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of sensory
The word sensory comes through Latin from the root sentire, meaning “to perceive” or “to feel,” which also underlies related English forms such as sensation, sensitive, sensible, and sensor. Its modern form developed from Latin sensory-related terminology and was established in English during the early 19th century. The same Latin root connects sensory vocabulary with words describing perception and feeling, including sensuous and sensual.
Related word forms
How sensory is actually used
Sensory is common in general language and especially frequent in medicine, psychology, education, and technology. It is broader and more technical than sensual and should not be confused with the latter when describing pleasure or sexuality.
Easily confused with sensory
Sensory refers to the reception or processing of information through the senses, whereas sensual usually refers to experiences that appeal to the senses, especially through pleasure or sexual sensation.