Lexical Definition

‎αἴσθησις‎ aísthēsis (ah'-ee-sthay-sis) insight ^G:N-F
from ‎αἰσθάνομαι‎

judgment.

• perception, i.e. (figuratively) discernment

Abbott-Smith

αἴσθησις, -εως, ἡ (< αἰσθάνομαι), [in LXX chiefly for דַּעַת ;]
perception (MM, VGT, s.v.): Phl 1:9.†
SYN.: ἐπίγνωσις, q.v. (cf. Cremer, 620).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

αἴσθησις-ησις, εως, ἡ,

sense-perception, sensation, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοῦ σώματος ἡ αἴ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸς αἴσθησιςησιν perceptibly, [Refs 1st c.BC+]: in plural, the senses, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; δι᾽ ἑπτὰ σχημάτων αἱ αἰ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀπ᾽ ὄψεως ἤ τινος ἄλλῃς αἰ. [Refs]; organ or seat of sensation, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἴ. πημάτων perception, sense of.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially of pain, [Refs]; also of the mind, perception, knowledge of a thing, ἐν αἰ. γενέσθαι τινός[Refs 1st c.AD+]; αἴ. ἔχειν τινός, ={αἰσθάνεσθαί τινος}, have a perception of a thing, [αἴσθησιςησιν αἰσθάνεσθαι “Phdr.” 240d; λαμβάνειν 5th-6th c.BC: Isocrates Orator 1.47; ἐν αἰ. εἶναι 3rd c.AD: Plotinus Philosophus 4.7.15:">Refs 5th c.BC+] —also of things, αἴσθησιςησιν ἔχειν give a perception, i.e. become perceptible, serving as passive to αἰσθάνομαι, [αἴσθησιςησιν παρέχειν [prev. author] 3.22, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 4.6.13, etc.; αἴ. ποιῆσαί τινι 5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 5.44, compare 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 10.7">Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἴ. παρέχειν τινός furnish the means of observing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__II in object. sense, impressions of sense, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; stage-effects, Po. [Refs]; αἰσθήσεις θεῶν visible appearances of the gods, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 display of feeling, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.3 in hunting, scent, [Refs 5th c.BC+]—Confined to Prose in early writers, except [Refs 5th c.BC+]