Adjacent Words

Sensual definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SENSUAL, a. [from L. sensus.]
Pertaining to the senses, as distinct from the mind or soul.
Far as creation's ample range extends.
The scale of sensual, mental pow'rs ascends. Pope.
2. Consisting in sense, or depending on it; as sensual appetites, hunger, lust, etc.
3. Affecting the senses, or derived from them; as sensual pleasure or gratification. Hence,
4. In theology, carnal; pertaining to the flesh or body, in opposition to the spirit; not spiritual or holy; evil.
5. Devoted to the gratification of sense; given to the indulgence of the appetites; sewd; luxurious.
No small part of virtue consists in abstaining from that on wich sensual men place their felicity. Atterbury.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: marked by the appetites and passions of the body; "animal instincts"; "carnal knowledge"; "fleshly desire"; "a sensual delight in eating"; "music is the only sensual pleasure without vice" [syn: animal, carnal, fleshly, sensual]
2: sexually exciting or gratifying; "sensual excesses"; "a sultry look"; "a sultry dance" [syn: sensual, sultry]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin sensualis, from Latin sensus sense Date: 15th century 1. relating to or consisting in the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of appetite ; fleshly 2. sensory 1 3. a. devoted to or preoccupied with the senses or appetites b. voluptuous c. deficient in moral, spiritual, or intellectual interests ; worldly; especially irreligious Synonyms: see carnal, sensuous • sensuality noun • sensually adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 a of or depending on the senses only and not on the intellect or spirit; carnal, fleshly (sensual pleasures). b given to the pursuit of sensual pleasures or the gratification of the appetites; self-indulgent sexually or in regard to food and drink; voluptuous, licentious. c indicative of a sensual nature (sensual lips). 2 of sense or sensation, sensory. 3 Philos. of, according to, or holding the doctrine of, sensationalism. Derivatives: sensualism n. sensualist n. sensualize v.tr. (also -ise). sensually adv. Etymology: ME f. LL sensualis (as SENSE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sensual Sen"su*al, a. [L. sensualis, from sensus sense: cf. F. sensuel.] 1. Pertaining to, consisting in, or affecting, the sense, or bodily organs of perception; relating to, or concerning, the body, in distinction from the spirit. Pleasing and sensual rites and ceremonies. --Bacon. Far as creation's ample range extends, The scale of sensual, mental powers ascends. --Pope. 2. Hence, not spiritual or intellectual; carnal; fleshly; pertaining to, or consisting in, the gratification of the senses, or the indulgence of appetites; wordly. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. --Jude 19. The greatest part of men are such as prefer . . . that good which is sensual before whatsoever is most divine. --Hooker. 3. Devoted to the pleasures of sense and appetite; luxurious; voluptuous; lewd; libidinous. No small part of virtue consists in abstaining from that wherein sensual men place their felicity. --Atterbury. 4. Pertaining or peculiar to the philosophical doctrine of sensualism.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Someone or something that is sensual shows or suggests a great liking for physical pleasures, especially sexual pleasures. He was a very sensual person... ...a wide, sensual mouth. ADJ • sensuality The wave and curl of her blonde hair gave her sensuality and youth. N-UNCOUNT 2. Something that is sensual gives pleasure to your physical senses rather than to your mind. ...sensual dance rhythms. ADJ • sensuality These perfumes have warmth and sensuality.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sen'-shoo-al (psuchikos, "animal," "natural"): Biblical psychology has no English equivalent for this Greek original. Man subject to the lower appetites is sarkikos, "fleshly"; in the communion of his spirit with God he is pneumatikos, "spiritual." Between the two is the psuche, "soul," the center of his personal being. This ego or "I"in each man is bound to the spirit, the higher nature; and to the body or lower nature.

The soul (psuche) as the seat of the senses, desires, affections, appetites, passions, i.e. the lower animal nature common to man with the beasts, was distinguished in the Pythagorean and Platonic philosophy from the higher rational nature (nous, pneuma).

The subjection of the soul to the animal nature is man's debasement, to the spirit indwelt of God is his exaltation. The English equivalent for psuchikos, "psychic" does not express this debasement. In the New Testament "sensual" indicates man's subjection to self and self-interest, whether animal or intellectual--the selfish man in whom the spirit is degraded into subordination to the debased psuche, "soul." This debasement may be

(1) intellectual, "not wisdom .... from above, but .... earthly, sensual" (Jas 3:15);

(2) carnal (and of course moral), "sensual, having not the Spirit" (Jude 1:19).

It ranges all the way from sensuous self-indulgence to gross immorality. In the utter subjection of the spirit to sense it is the utter exclusion of God from the life. Hence, "the natural (psuchikos) man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God" (1Co 2:14). The term is equivalent to "the mind of the flesh" (Ro 8:7) which "is not subject to the law of God."

See PSYCHOLOGY.

Dwight M. Pratt

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Carnal, fleshly, unspiritual. 2. Voluptuous, luxurious. 3. Lewd, dissolute, licentious.

Moby Thesaurus

Cyprian, Cyrenaic, abandoned, amorous, animal, aphrodisiomaniacal, appetitive, banausic, bawdy, bent on pleasure, bodily, carnal, clitoromaniacal, concupiscent, debauched, dirty, dissipated, dissolute, earthy, epicurean, erogenic, erogenous, erotic, eroticomaniacal, erotogenic, erotomaniacal, fleshly, gamic, goatish, gynecomaniacal, hedonistic, heterosexual, hircine, horny, hot, hysteromaniacal, irreligious, ithyphallic, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, libidinal, libidinous, licentious, lickerish, loose, lubricious, lubricous, luscious, lush, lustful, luxurious, luxury-loving, mundane, nuptial, nymphomaniacal, obscene, oversexed, physical, pleasure-bent, pleasure-seeking, potent, priapic, procreative, profligate, prurient, rakish, randy, salacious, satyric, sensational, sensatory, sensitive, sensorial, sex, sexed, sexlike, sexual, sexy, straight, sybaritic, temporal, unchaste, undersexed, unspiritual, venereal, voluptuous, wanton, worldly