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sensation

n.
US //sɛnˈseɪʃən// UK //sɛnsˈeɪʃən// sen·sa·tion
  1. 1 physical feeling (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a feeling in your body that comes from your senses, like heat, cold, or pain.

    a physical feeling or perception resulting from external stimuli or internal bodily states.

    Example

    When she stepped outside, she felt a strange tingling sensation in her fingers from the cold.

    Example

    Patients often report a burning sensation in the chest area, which can be easily confused with other more serious cardiac symptoms.

    Usage

    Often used with adjectives like 'burning', 'tingling', or 'strange'.

  2. 2 public excitement (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person, event, or story that causes a lot of excitement and interest in the public.

    a state of widespread public interest and excitement, or the person or thing that provokes it.

    Example

    The young singer became an overnight sensation after her video went viral.

    Example

    The novel caused a minor sensation when it was first published, primarily due to its controversial portrayal of the local government.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the phrase 'overnight sensation'.

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  1. 3 sensory process (n.)
    C1 Advanced Academic Technical Science

    the way your body's sense organs, like your eyes or skin, react to things around you.

    the operation or function of the senses; the process of receiving stimuli through sensory organs.

    Example

    The experiment studied how the brain processes the sensation of light.

    Example

    In psychological terms, sensation refers to the raw data received by the sensory receptors before the brain interprets it as perception.

    Usage

    In academic contexts, it is often contrasted with 'perception'.

Origin

From Old French, from Medieval Latin sensatio, from Latin sensus.

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