sentimental

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *sent-der.

Proto-Italic *sentiō

Latin sentiō

Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥

Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom

Proto-Italic *-mentom

Latin -mentum

Latin sentimentumder.

Old French sentementder.

English sentiment

English -al

English sentimental

From sentiment + -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌsɛntiˈmɛntl̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌsɛntiˈmɛntl̩/, /ˌsɛniˈmɛnl̩/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sen‧ti‧men‧tal

Adjective

sentimental (comparative more sentimental, superlative most sentimental)

1. Characterized by sentiment, sentimentality or excess emotion; appealing to the emotions (especially tender emotions) rather than reason, morality, aesthetic taste, etc.
   • 1885, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert; Arthur Sullivan, composer, […] The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu, London: Chappel & Co., […], →OCLC:

     Are you in sentimental mood?
     I'll sigh with you.

   • 1944, Doris Day, Sentimental Journey:

     Gonna take a Sentimental Journey,
     Gonna set my heart at ease.
     Gonna make a Sentimental Journey,
     to renew old memories.

   • 2007, Steven Wilson, "Normal", Porcupine Tree, Nil Recurring.

     Wish I was old and a little sentimental

2. Derived from emotion rather than logical reason.
3. Romantic.

Antonyms

• unsentimental

Derived terms

• antisentimental
• hypersentimental
• nonsentimental
• oversentimental
• semisentimental
• sentimental comedy
• sentimentalisation
• sentimentalism
• sentimentalist
• sentimentalistic
• sentimentalistically
• sentimentality
• sentimentalization
• sentimentalize
• sentimentally
• sentimental value
• supersentimental
• ultrasentimental

Translations

characterized by sentiment, sentimentality or excess emotion

• Bulgarian: сантиментален (bg) (santimentalen)
• Catalan: sentimental (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 感傷 / 感伤 (zh) (gǎnshāng), 多愁善感 (zh) (duōchóushàngǎn), 煽情 (zh) (shānqíng)

• Dutch: emotioneel (nl)
• Esperanto: sentimentala
• Finnish: tunteellinen (fi), tunne- (fi), sentimentaalinen (fi)
• French: sentimental (fr)
• Galician: sentimental
• German: sentimental (de), rührselig (de)
• Greek: συναισθηματικός (el) m (synaisthimatikós)
• Hungarian: érzelgős (hu), szentimentális (hu)
• Italian: sentimentale (it)
• Japanese: 感傷的 (ja) (かんしょうてき, kanshōteki), センチメンタル (ja) (senchimental)
• Latvian: salds (lv)
• Macedonian: сентимента́лен (sentimentálen), чувстви́телен (čuvstvítelen)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: sentimental

  Nynorsk: sentimental

• Persian: سانتیمانتال (sântimântâl)
• Polish: sentymentalny (pl)
• Portuguese: sentimental (pt)
• Romanian: sentimental (ro)
• Russian: сентимента́льный (ru) (sentimentálʹnyj)
• Spanish: sentimental (es), sentimentaloide, sensiblero, cursi (es)
• Swedish: sentimental (sv), känslosam (sv), lättrörd (sv), känslig (sv), känslosam (sv)
• Turkish: duygusal (tr), santimantal (tr)
• Vietnamese: đa cảm (vi)

derived from emotion rather than strictly logical reason

• Bulgarian: емоционален (bg) (emocionalen)
• Finnish: tunne- (fi), tunneperäinen
• Greek: συναισθηματικός (el) m (synaisthimatikós)
• Macedonian: емоциона́лен (emocionálen)

romantic

• Bulgarian: разнежен (bg) (raznežen)
• Finnish: romanttinen (fi)
• Greek: συναισθηματικός (el) m (synaisthimatikós)
• Hungarian: szentimentális (hu)
• Macedonian: ра́знежен (ráznežen)
• Portuguese: sentimental (pt), romântico (pt)
• Romanian: sentimental (ro), romantic (ro)
• Turkish: romantik (tr)

Anagrams

• entailments

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [sən.ti.mənˈtal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [sen.ti.menˈtal]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Adjective

sentimental m or f (masculine and feminine plural sentimentals)

1. sentimental

Derived terms

• sentimentalisme
• sentimentalitat
• sentimentalment

Related terms

• sentiment

Further reading

• “sentimental”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Central Bikol

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish sentimental.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sentimenˈtal/ [sen̪.ti.men̪ˈtal̪]
• Hyphenation: sen‧ti‧men‧tal

Adjective

sentimentál (Basahan spelling ᜐᜒᜈ᜔ᜆᜒᜋᜒᜈ᜔ᜆᜎ᜔)

1. sentimental

See also

• sentido
• sentido komun
• sentimiyento
• sentir

French

Etymology

English sentimental. By surface analysis, sentiment +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɑ̃.ti.mɑ̃.tal/
• Homophones: sentimentale, sentimentales

Adjective

sentimental (feminine sentimentale, masculine plural sentimentaux, feminine plural sentimentales)

1. sentimental

Further reading

• “sentimental”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Galician

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sentimenˈtal/ [s̺en̪.t̪i.mẽn̪ˈt̪ɑɫ]
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: sen‧ti‧men‧tal

Adjective

sentimental m or f (plural sentimentais)

1. sentimental

Derived terms

• sentimentalidade
• sentimentalismo
• sentimentalmente

Related terms

• sentimento

Further reading

• “sentimental”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French sentimental.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌzɛntimɛnˈtaːl/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Adjective

sentimental (strong nominative masculine singular sentimentaler, comparative sentimentaler, superlative am sentimentalsten)

1. sentimental
   • 1980, Annette Humpe, “Blaue Augen”, performed by Ideal:

     Bloß deine blauen Augen / Machen mich so sentimental / So blaue Augen / Wenn du mich so anschaust / Wird mir alles andre egal

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Positive forms of sentimental

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist sentimental	sie ist sentimental	es ist sentimental	sie sind sentimental
strong declension (without article)	nominative	sentimentaler	sentimentale	sentimentales	sentimentale
	genitive	sentimentalen	sentimentaler	sentimentalen	sentimentaler
	dative	sentimentalem	sentimentaler	sentimentalem	sentimentalen
	accusative	sentimentalen	sentimentale	sentimentales	sentimentale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der sentimentale	die sentimentale	das sentimentale	die sentimentalen
	genitive	des sentimentalen	der sentimentalen	des sentimentalen	der sentimentalen
	dative	dem sentimentalen	der sentimentalen	dem sentimentalen	den sentimentalen
	accusative	den sentimentalen	die sentimentale	das sentimentale	die sentimentalen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein sentimentaler	eine sentimentale	ein sentimentales	(keine) sentimentalen
	genitive	eines sentimentalen	einer sentimentalen	eines sentimentalen	(keiner) sentimentalen
	dative	einem sentimentalen	einer sentimentalen	einem sentimentalen	(keinen) sentimentalen
	accusative	einen sentimentalen	eine sentimentale	ein sentimentales	(keine) sentimentalen

Comparative forms of sentimental

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist sentimentaler	sie ist sentimentaler	es ist sentimentaler	sie sind sentimentaler
strong declension (without article)	nominative	sentimentalerer	sentimentalere	sentimentaleres	sentimentalere
	genitive	sentimentaleren	sentimentalerer	sentimentaleren	sentimentalerer
	dative	sentimentalerem	sentimentalerer	sentimentalerem	sentimentaleren
	accusative	sentimentaleren	sentimentalere	sentimentaleres	sentimentalere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der sentimentalere	die sentimentalere	das sentimentalere	die sentimentaleren
	genitive	des sentimentaleren	der sentimentaleren	des sentimentaleren	der sentimentaleren
	dative	dem sentimentaleren	der sentimentaleren	dem sentimentaleren	den sentimentaleren
	accusative	den sentimentaleren	die sentimentalere	das sentimentalere	die sentimentaleren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein sentimentalerer	eine sentimentalere	ein sentimentaleres	(keine) sentimentaleren
	genitive	eines sentimentaleren	einer sentimentaleren	eines sentimentaleren	(keiner) sentimentaleren
	dative	einem sentimentaleren	einer sentimentaleren	einem sentimentaleren	(keinen) sentimentaleren
	accusative	einen sentimentaleren	eine sentimentalere	ein sentimentaleres	(keine) sentimentaleren

Superlative forms of sentimental

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist am sentimentalsten	sie ist am sentimentalsten	es ist am sentimentalsten	sie sind am sentimentalsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	sentimentalster	sentimentalste	sentimentalstes	sentimentalste
	genitive	sentimentalsten	sentimentalster	sentimentalsten	sentimentalster
	dative	sentimentalstem	sentimentalster	sentimentalstem	sentimentalsten
	accusative	sentimentalsten	sentimentalste	sentimentalstes	sentimentalste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der sentimentalste	die sentimentalste	das sentimentalste	die sentimentalsten
	genitive	des sentimentalsten	der sentimentalsten	des sentimentalsten	der sentimentalsten
	dative	dem sentimentalsten	der sentimentalsten	dem sentimentalsten	den sentimentalsten
	accusative	den sentimentalsten	die sentimentalste	das sentimentalste	die sentimentalsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein sentimentalster	eine sentimentalste	ein sentimentalstes	(keine) sentimentalsten
	genitive	eines sentimentalsten	einer sentimentalsten	eines sentimentalsten	(keiner) sentimentalsten
	dative	einem sentimentalsten	einer sentimentalsten	einem sentimentalsten	(keinen) sentimentalsten
	accusative	einen sentimentalsten	eine sentimentalste	ein sentimentalstes	(keine) sentimentalsten

Derived terms

• sentimentalisch

Further reading

• “sentimental” in Duden online
• “sentimental”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[1] (in German)

Indonesian

Etymology

Internationalism

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /sɛntiˈmɛntal/ [sɛn̪.t̪iˈmen̪.t̪al]
• Rhymes: -ɛntal
• Syllabification: sen‧ti‧men‧tal

Adjective

sentimental (comparative lebih sentimental, superlative paling sentimental)

1. sentimental

Alternative forms

• sentimentil

Related terms

• sentimen

Further reading

• “sentimental”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From English sentimental, ultimately from Latin sentimentum.

Adjective

sentimental (neuter singular sentimentalt, definite singular and plural sentimentale)

1. sentimental

Antonyms

• usentimental

References

• “sentimental” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From English sentimental, ultimately from Latin sentimentum.

Adjective

sentimental (neuter singular sentimentalt, definite singular and plural sentimentale)

1. sentimental

Antonyms

• usentimental

References

• “sentimental” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from French sentimental. By surface analysis, sentimento (“feeling”) +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /sẽ.t͡ʃi.mẽˈtaw/ [sẽ.t͡ʃi.mẽˈtaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /sẽ.ti.mẽˈtal/ [sẽ.ti.mẽˈtaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /sẽ.ti.mẽˈtal/ [sẽ.ti.mẽˈtaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /sẽ.ti.mẽˈta.li/

• Rhymes: -al, -aw
• Hyphenation: sen‧ti‧men‧tal

Adjective

sentimental m or f (plural sentimentais)

1. sentimental

Derived terms

• sentimentalmente

Further reading

• “sentimental”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “sentimental”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French sentimental. By surface analysis, sentiment +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

sentimental m or n (feminine singular sentimentală, masculine plural sentimentali, feminine/neuter plural sentimentale)

1. sentimental

Declension

Declension of sentimental

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	sentimental		sentimentală	sentimentali	sentimentale
	definite	sentimentalul		sentimentala	sentimentalii	sentimentalele
genitive- dative	indefinite	sentimental		sentimentale	sentimentali	sentimentale
	definite	sentimentalului		sentimentalei	sentimentalilor	sentimentalelor

Related terms

• sentimentalism
• sentimentalitate

Further reading

• “sentimental”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sentimenˈtal/ [sẽn̪.t̪i.mẽn̪ˈt̪al]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: sen‧ti‧men‧tal

Adjective

sentimental m or f (masculine and feminine plural sentimentales)

1. sentimental

Derived terms

• sentimentalidad
• sentimentalismo
• sentimentalmente
• sentimentaloide
• valor sentimental

Related terms

• sentimiento

Further reading

• “sentimental”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025