extrasensory

adjective

ex·​tra·​sen·​so·​ry ˌek-strə-ˈsen(t)-sə-rē 

-ˈsen(t)s-rē

: residing beyond or outside the ordinary senses

Did you know?

Since extra means "outside, beyond", extrasensory means basically "beyond the senses". Extrasensory perception, or ESP, usually includes communication between minds involving no obvious contact (telepathy), gaining information about something without using the normal senses (clairvoyance), or predicting the future (precognition). According to polls, about 40% of Americans believe in ESP, and many of them have had personal experiences that seem to prove its existence. When someone jumps into your mind months or years after you had last thought of him or her, and the next day you learn that the person has just died, it can be hard to convince yourself it was just coincidence. Still, scientific attempts to prove the existence of ESP have never been terribly successful.

Examples of extrasensory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From the above example, friend one and two demonstrate a relatively standard range of sensitivity, while friend three and four exhibit more extreme extrasensory abilities. —Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, 2 July 2018

Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner’s extrasensory musical comes back to us courtesy of the Irish Repertory Theater. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 21 June 2018

Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner’s extrasensory musical comes back to us in a revival courtesy of the Irish Repertory Theater. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 14 June 2018

Making out with Elektra Natchios in the rain demonstrates Daredevil’s extrasensory abilities. —Peter Nagy, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2018

So, in addition to her boundless cleverness, Matilda develops some extrasensory powers as a defense against the small-mindedness of the adults around her. —Punch Shaw, star-telegram.com, 15 June 2017

The laboratory has conducted studies on extrasensory perception and telekinesis from its cramped quarters in the basement of the university’s engineering building since 1979. —Randy Dotinga, WIRED, 12 Feb. 2007

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing extrasensory

• extrasensory perception

Kids Definition

extrasensory

adjective

ex·​tra·​sen·​so·​ry ˌek-strə-ˈsen(t)s-(ə-)rē 

: not acting or occurring through use of the known senses

extrasensory experience

Medical Definition

extrasensory

adjective

ex·​tra·​sen·​so·​ry ˌek-strə-ˈsen(t)s-(ə-)rē 

: residing beyond or outside the ordinary senses