sensualist

The word 'sensualist' is a compound formed in English from the adjective 'sensual' and the agent suffix '-ist'. Its core component, 'sensual', traces back to the Latin sensus, meaning "feeling, perception," which itself derives from the verb sentire, "to feel." The philosophical doctrine of sensualism, which holds that sensory experience is the sole source of knowledge, provided the conceptual framework for the term. Thus, a 'sensualist' literally denotes "one concerned with the senses," a meaning that bifurcated into both a philosophical adherent and, more commonly, a person who prioritizes sensory gratification and physical pleasure.

Structure: sensual (relating to the senses) + ist (one who practices or believes) - sensual: From Latin sensualis, from sensus (sense, feeling). In this word, it functions as the base adjective meaning "of or relating to the senses." - ist: From Greek -istes, via Latin -ista, a suffix forming agent nouns, meaning "a person who practices or is concerned with something, or who holds certain principles."