sentience has definitions from the field of biology
1
[ noun ] the faculty through which the external world is apprehended

Examples

"in the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearing"

2
[ noun ] state of elementary or undifferentiated consciousness

Synonyms

awareness

Examples

"the crash intruded on his awareness"

Related terms

consciousness

3
[ noun ] (biology) the readiness to perceive sensations; elementary or undifferentiated consciousness

Examples

: "gave sentience to slugs and newts"- Richard Eberhart

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