antisensuousness
|an-ti-sen-su-ous-ness|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.ti.sɛnˈʃu.əs.nəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.ti.senˈʃuː.əs.nəs/
opposition to sensory pleasure
Etymology
'antisensuousness' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') and the noun 'sensuousness' (from 'sensuous').
'sensuous' changed from Latin 'sensuosus' into Old French 'sensueux' and entered Middle English as 'sensuous'; in Modern English the prefix 'anti-' was added to form the compound 'antisensuousness'.
Initially, elements of the word related simply to 'feeling' or 'sense' (from Latin 'sensus' meaning 'feeling'), but when combined with 'anti-' it evolved to mean 'opposition to sensuousness' or 'rejection of sensory pleasure'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being opposed to sensuousness or sensory pleasure; hostility toward indulgence in bodily or sensual enjoyment.
The critic praised the artist's restraint, noting an intentional antisensuousness in the work that rejected overt erotic appeal.
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Noun 2
a lack or absence of sensuous qualities; austerity or severity in style or experience that minimizes sensory richness.
The monastery's architecture conveyed a deliberate antisensuousness, favouring bare stone and simple lines over decoration.
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Last updated: 2025/09/09 19:26