definition of
sentience

[1] #1 sentience n. [awareness] state of elementary or undifferentiated consciousness; "the crash intruded on his awareness". wn

[2] #2 sentience n. [sense, sensation, sentiency, sensory faculty] the faculty through which the external world is apprehended; "in the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearing". wn

[3] #3 sentience n. the readiness to perceive sensations; elementary or undifferentiated consciousness; "gave sentience to slugs and newts"- Richard Eberhart. wn