What is the Latin word for sentiment?

The usual Latin words for “sentiment” are ingenium, nātūra, animus; also sentiō, ratiō, voluntās. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“sentiment” in Latin

ingeniuminnate or natural quality, natural character; nature; disposition, temper, inclination; intelligence, natural capacity nātūrathe nature, quality, substance or essence of a thing; character, temperament, inclination, disposition; nature, the natu animuslife, life force, soul, vitality (that life-giving aspect which animates a thing); conscience, intellect, mind, reason, sentiōto feel, to sense, to perceive (with the senses); to perceive, be aware of, to be sensible of, to notice mentally, to un ratiōreason, reasoning, explanation, ground, motive, rationality, rationale, purpose; calculation, account, accounting, recko voluntāswill, free will, choice; desire, inclination; disposition towards (something or someone)mēnsmind; intellect, reason; reasoning, judgement cōgitātiōthinking, meditation, reflection; thought; reasoning cōgitōto think; to ponder, meditate, reflect, consider (i.e. think of, about, over); to intend, design, purpose, plan, devise opīniōopinion, conjecture, imagination, fancy, belief, expectation; reputation, esteem; report, rumor

The English word sentiment itself goes back to Latin sentiō, through sentimentum.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

sentiment

ingenium: natura (natural character or disposition): animus (mental or spiritual power or energy): sensus (inclinations and feelings): ratio (manner of thinking): voluntas (will or inclination): mens (mind). Also by circumlocution; e.g., quae animo volvo, cogito (what I think), or quae sentio (what I feel). Kind, friendly sentiment, animus benignus, benevolus, amicus; toward anybody, in aliquem; also, studium alicujus; benevolentia erga aliquem: hostile sentiment, animus infestus; toward anybody, in aliquem or alicui; odium alicujus or in aliquem (hatred): noble sentiment, mens liberalis: to find out anybody’s sentiment, in alicujus sensum intrare: to endeavor to find out anybody’s real sentiment, alicujus animum tentare: to discover one’s sentiment, alicui sensus suos aperire: to conceal one’s real sentiment, sensus suos penitus abdere: to adhere to one’s sentiment, in sententia sua permanere; sententiam suam non mutare; de sententia sua non decedere: to change one’s sentiment, animi judicium, or consilium, or sententiam mutare: these are our sentiments, haec mens nostra est.

In rhetoric, thought (in contradistinction to expression), cogitatio (the act of thinking, and also that which is thought in concreto): cogitatum (that which is thought).

Opinion, opinio (in as far as it rests on anything presumed): sententia (opinion either kept to one’s self or expressed; especially if grounded on certain reasons; then also = memorable thought).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for sentiment?: The usual Latin words for “sentiment” are ingenium, nātūra, animus; also sentiō, ratiō, voluntās. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.