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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Sentiment \Sen"ti*ment\, n. [OE. sentement, OF. sentement, F.
sentiment, fr. L. sentire to perceive by the senses and mind,
to feel, to think. See {Sentient}, a.]
1. A thought prompted by passion or feeling; a state of mind
in view of some subject; feeling toward or respecting some
person or thing; disposition prompting to action or
expression.
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The word sentiment, agreeably to the use made of it
by our best English writers, expresses, in my own
opinion very happily, those complex determinations
of the mind which result from the cooperation of our
rational powers and of our moral feelings.
--Stewart.
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Alike to council or the assembly came,
With equal souls and sentiments the same. --Pope.
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2. Hence, generally, a decision of the mind formed by
deliberation or reasoning; thought; opinion; notion;
judgment; as, to express one's sentiments on a subject.
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Sentiments of philosophers about the perception of
external objects. --Reid.
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Sentiment, as here and elsewhere employed by Reid in
the meaning of opinion (sententia), is not to be
imitated. --Sir W.
Hamilton.
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3. A sentence, or passage, considered as the expression of a
thought; a maxim; a saying; a toast.
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4. Sensibility; feeling; tender susceptibility.
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Mr. Hume sometimes employs (after the manner of the
French metaphysicians) sentiment as synonymous with
feeling; a use of the word quite unprecedented in
our tongue. --Stewart.
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Less of sentiment than sense. --Tennyson.
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Syn: Thought; opinion; notion; sensibility; feeling.

Usage: {Sentiment}, {Opinion}, {Feeling}. An opinion is an
intellectual judgment in respect to any and every kind
of truth. Feeling describes those affections of
pleasure and pain which spring from the exercise of
our sentient and emotional powers. Sentiment
(particularly in the plural) lies between them,
denoting settled opinions or principles in regard to
subjects which interest the feelings strongly, and are
presented more or less constantly in practical life.
Hence, it is more appropriate to speak of our
religious sentiments than opinions, unless we mean to
exclude all reference to our feelings. The word
sentiment, in the singular, leans ordinarily more to
the side of feeling, and denotes a refined sensibility
on subjects affecting the heart. "On questions of
feeling, taste, observation, or report, we define our
sentiments. On questions of science, argument, or
metaphysical abstraction, we define our opinions. The
sentiments of the heart. The opinions of the mind . .
. There is more of instinct in sentiment, and more of
definition in opinion. The admiration of a work of art
which results from first impressions is classed with
our sentiments; and, when we have accounted to
ourselves for the approbation, it is classed with our
opinions." --W. Taylor.
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