-ləd.ē, -ətē, -i noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English sensibilite, from Middle French sensibilité, from Late Latin sensibilitat-, sensibilitas, from sensibilis sensible + Latin -itat-, -itas -ity
1. : the ability to receive sensation : responsiveness to stimuli : sensitiveness
tactile sensibility
2. : sensitivity a
3.
a. : capacity of emotion or feeling as distinguished from intellect and will : peculiar or excessive susceptibility to pleasurable or painful impression : acuteness of feeling
great sensibility to pain
sensibility to praise
— often used in plural
a man of strong sensibilities
b. : a manifestation of such a capacity
answered the charge with marked sensibility
4. : awareness of and responsive feeling toward something (as emotion in another) ; also : an instance or token of this
our sensibility of your distress
5. : refined sensitiveness in emotion and taste with especial responsiveness to the pathetic
excessive sensibility of late 18th century poetry
6. : susceptibility to slight or unkindness
Synonyms: see sensation