Sensible

How to spell sensible

8 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce sensible

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does sensible mean?

1. adjectiveShowing sound judgement; practical and reasonable rather than foolish.

Sensible in a sentence

• Packing a spare charger was a sensible decision before the long flight.

• She gave him sensible advice about paying off the loan first.

Where does sensible come from?

Language of origin: Latin

Sensible came into English in the late 1300s from the Latin sensibilis, meaning 'capable of being perceived by the senses', which was built on the verb sentire, 'to feel, perceive, or be aware'. It travelled through Old French sensible before settling into English, and at first it carried the older Latin meaning of something that could be detected by sight, touch, or hearing. Over time the focus shifted from perception toward judgement, so that a 'sensible' person became one who shows sound sense rather than one who can merely feel. The same sentire root sits inside a whole family of relatives, including sense, sensation, sentiment, and consent, all of which trace back to that idea of feeling or perceiving. The spelling trap is the ending: it is -ible, not -able, a clue preserved from the Latin -ibilis suffix.

How the word is built

• sens- (from sentire: to feel, perceive)
• -ible (adjective suffix: capable of, fit for)