Agency Dictionary
sentient
adjectivePronunciation: /ˈsɛn.ʃənt/
In Portuguese: senciente
Philosophy & Ethics
Technology & AIWhat does “sentient” mean?
Able to perceive, feel, and experience sensations or consciousness with emotional responsiveness.
Etymology
From Latin sentiens, the present active participle of sentire (to feel, to perceive). The philosophical sense of a being capable of subjective experience developed in modern moral philosophy and is central to debates about animal rights and artificial intelligence.
Usage note
Sentient means able to feel and to have subjective experience, not able to reason: the word for the capacity for thought or wisdom is sapient. Science fiction often uses sentient for both.
Synonyms
- conscious
- feeling
- aware
Word family
- sentience
- sentiment
- sensation
- sense
Usage examples
Sentient is one of the brands that I see as weaving together all the threads of ideals and interests for people and the world.
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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- Abyssnoun
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Also from these editions: terms
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- transmuteverb
- To change, transform, or convert something in form, nature, or substance into a higher or different manifestation.
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