n.
Pronunciation: -shn ə - ˌ li-z ə m, -sh ə -n ə - ˌ li-z ə m
Function: noun
Date: 1846
1 : empiricism that limits experience as a source of knowledge to sensation or sense perceptions
2 : the use or effect of sensational subject matter or treatment
– sen · sa · tion · al · ist \ -list \ adjective or noun
– sen · sa · tion · al · is · tic \ - ˌ s ā -shn ə - ' lis-tik, -sh ə -n ə - ' lis-tik \ adjective