Sensului

Sensului is the genitive and dative singular form of the Romanian noun sens. The base noun sens denotes sense, meaning, significance, or direction. In use, sens can refer to cognitive meaning (the sense of a word, the meaning of life) as well as physical orientation (the sense or direction of travel). The form sensului appears in constructions that express possession or indirect object, for example in phrases like sensului cuvântului (the meaning of the word) or sensului acestei idei (the sense of this idea).

Morphology and basic forms: singular nouns—sens (nominative/accusative), sensul (definite nominative/accusative); genitive/dative singular—sensului. Plural forms—sensuri (nominative/accusative), sensurile (definite plural), genitive/dative plural—sensurilor. The noun is masculine, and Romanian grammar marks definiteness by a suffix attached to the noun (e.g., sensul, sensurile).

Usage and meanings: sens is versatile in Romanian. It can mean meaning or significance, as in sensul cuvântului; it can denote direction or orientation, as in sensul străziii; and it can refer to general interpretation or purpose, as in sensul vieții or în sens larg (in the broad sense). The phrase în sensul refers to “in the sense of” or “in the direction of,” illustrating its semantic breadth. In linguistic and philosophical contexts, sens is closely related to the concept of meaning or sense (semantics).

Etymology: sens derives from Latin sensus, from the verb sentire “to feel” or “to perceive.” Cognates appear in several Romance languages, such as Italian senso and French sens.