sentient

Meaning

Able to perceive or feel things; possessing consciousness or the capacity for sensation.

Origin / Etymology

From Latin sentient, feeling, from sentire, to feel or perceive.

Synonyms

conscious aware feeling perceptive

Antonyms

insentient inanimate unconscious unfeeling

Example Sentence

"Debates over animal welfare rest on recognising that many species are sentient and capable of suffering."

🎯 UPSC Usage

Central to GS4 ethics answers on animal rights, environmental ethics, and the moral status of artificial intelligence. Use it to frame moral consideration, for example, 'extending compassion to sentient beings is a test of a society's ethical maturity.'

Relevant Subjects

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