Sinnliche

Sinnliche is the feminine singular nominative or accusative form of the German adjective sinnlich, meaning relating to the senses or to sensory experience, and in some contexts to sensual or erotic aspects. As an inflected form, it appears in a variety of attributive and predicative positions, following standard German adjective endings.

Usage and meanings

In everyday German, sinnlich describes things tied to perception by the senses or to sensual experience. Examples include die sinnliche Wahrnehmung (sensory perception) or eine sinnliche Erfahrung (a sensory or sensual experience). In plural or with definite articles, the endings change according to standard patterns: die sinnlichen Wahrnehmungen (the sensory perceptions); sinnliche Eindrücke (sensory impressions) when used without an article.

Nuance and related terms

Context determines whether sinnlich or sinnliche conveys sensory rather than erotic meaning. In philosophy and aesthetics, Sinnlichkeit (capitalized) is a related noun for sensibility or the faculty of perception, as used in discussions of Kant and other thinkers. The noun Sinnlichkeit can denote potential immediacy of sensation, while the adjective sinnlich typically describes sensory or sensual qualities of objects, experiences, or scenes.

Etymology

The form derives from Sinn, meaning sense or perception, combined with the suffix -lich to form an adjective meaning related to senses or sensibility. It shares its root with the related noun Sinnlichkeit.

See also

Sinnlichkeit; Sinn (sense); Sinneswahrnehmung; sensuality.