The Five Senses Were Never the Whole List
A sense is a faculty of perception, or a meaning. Humans have considerably more than five senses.
A sense is a faculty by which the body perceives, and also the meaning of a word. Aristotle's list of five has stuck for two thousand years, but it was never complete: humans also have *proprioception*, the sense of where your limbs are without looking, *equilibrioception*, balance, *nociception*, pain, and *thermoception*, temperature. Counting them honestly gives at least nine. Latin *sentire*, to feel, also gives *sentiment*, *consent*, *resent* and *scent*.
- A faculty of perception. *The sense of smell.*
- A meaning. *In that sense.*
- Good judgement. *Common sense.*
- To perceive. *Sense the danger.*
- Latin — *sentire*, to feel. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | sense | A sense. |
| Plural | senses | The senses. |
| Verb | sense | Sense it. |
| Adjective | sensible | Sensible. |
| Adjective | sensitive | Sensitive. |
- She lost her sense of smell.Perception.
- In what sense do you mean it?Meaning.
- Proprioception is a real sense.Biology.
Senses beyond the famous five
- Proprioception — knowing where your limbs are without looking
- Equilibrioception — balance, from the inner ear
- Nociception — the detection of pain
- Thermoception — temperature, separate from touch
- Interoception — internal states such as hunger and thirst
Latin *sensus*, feeling or perception, from *sentire*, to feel or perceive.
Do humans have only five senses?
No. Balance, pain, temperature and proprioception are all distinct senses, giving at least nine by most counts.
Are sense and scent related?
Yes. Both come from Latin sentire, to feel or perceive.