'ampere-sensing' is a compound of 'ampere' and the present-participle form 'sensing'. 'Ampere' ultimately comes from the French proper name 'Ampère' (André-Marie Ampère), used in English to name the SI unit of electric current; 'sensing' derives from English 'sense', from Latin 'sentire' meaning 'to feel, perceive'.

'ampere' entered scientific English in the 19th century as the unit name honoring the French physicist 'Ampère', and English formed technical compounds by combining 'ampere' with other elements (e.g., 'ampere-meter', 'ampere-hour'); 'ampere-sensing' follows this pattern as a modern compound adjective meaning 'sensing amperes (current)'.

Individually, 'ampere' referred to the unit named after Ampère and 'sensing' meant 'perceiving/detecting'; combined, the compound evolved to mean 'capable of detecting or responding to current (measured in amperes)', a technical descriptor used for instruments and circuits.