sensual, sensuous

People experience sensual and sensuous pleasures through their senses. The difference between sensual and sensuous is often subtle.

Sensual characterizes something that satisfies physical appetites, such as hunger, thirst and sex.

• Some find sensual pleasure in a fine meal or a vintage wine, while others enjoy a sauna.

• Dimitri, the food critic, wrote sensual descriptions of gourmet meals.

Sensuous describes such aesthetic pleasures as art, music and poetry.

• Van Gogh’s use of strong colours and rich textures is very sensuous.
• Jazz enthusiasts derive sensuous delight from Monk’s classic composition “Round Midnight.”