If something is "perceptible," you can "capture" it with your senses. "Perceptible" traces back to the Latin word capere, which means "to take," combined with the prefix per-, which means "thoroughly." It shares the "capere" part of its ancestry with a number of other English words related to seizing or being seized, including "capture," "captor," "captivate," and even "catch."
perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.
a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener
sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.
an abrupt, sensible drop in temperature
palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.
the tension in the air was almost palpable
tangible suggests what is capable of being handled or grasped both physically and mentally.
no tangible evidence of UFOs
appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.
an appreciable increase in income
ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.
exerted a ponderable influence on world events
Example Sentences
The sound was barely perceptible. There was a perceptible change in the audience's mood.
Recent Examples on the WebIf your skin is feeling parched, layering on this hydrator will make an instant and perceptible difference to your skin. Tatjana Freund, ELLE, 3 Sep. 2022 But the garment, though comfortable against the skin, created no perceptible cooling sensation, instant or otherwise. Christopher Flavelle, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2022 This one is patently false: Doesn’t the fact that one language has a word for something, while others don’t, reveal that your native language gives you exclusive access to aspects of reality that are not even perceptible to others? Kai Von Fintel, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Aug. 2022 And in spots where the sky was reflected off the water, the surface of the Brule, too, was perceptible to the eye. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2022 But the kind of event that would move enough mass to affect the Earth's rotation in a way that is perceptible to humans would be something dire like the planet being hit by a giant meteor, Merkowitz said.CBS News, 13 Aug. 2022 The filmmakers were able to capture not only character performances but the real effects of flight maneuvers in their actors’ faces, a quality that Miranda believes makes a perceptible difference to the moviegoer. Jen Yamato, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2022 The slight but perceptible price drop is in response to falling demand as motorists change their habits and drive less.Arkansas Online, 1 July 2022 Like within the Biden administration, Ukrainian officials have not concluded that Putin has made up his mind, a Ukrainian official said, adding that the talks in Europe had no perceptible impact on the crisis.CNN, 18 Jan. 2022 See More