1.  sensation(n = noun.cognition) aesthesis, esthesis, sense datum, sense experience, sense impression - an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation; "a sensation of touch"
is a kind of perception
has particulars: limen, threshold, masking, vision, visual sensation, odor, odour, olfactory perception, olfactory sensation, smell, gustatory perception, gustatory sensation, taste, taste perception, taste sensation, auditory sensation, sound, synaesthesia, synesthesia
Derived form verb sense₁

2.  sensation(n = noun.person) ace, adept, champion, genius, hotshot, maven, mavin, star, superstar, virtuoso, whiz, whizz, wiz, wizard - someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field;
is a kind of expert
has particulars: track star

3.  sensation(n = noun.feeling) - a general feeling of excitement and heightened interest; "anticipation produced in me a sensation somewhere between hope and fear"
is a kind of stir

4.  sensation(n = noun.state) - a state of widespread public excitement and interest; "the news caused a sensation"
is a kind of excitation, excitement, fervor, fervour, inflammation

5.  sensation(n = noun.cognition) sense, sensory faculty, sentience, sentiency - 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"
is a kind of faculty, mental faculty, module
has particulars: modality, sense modality, sensory system, sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity
Derived form verb sense₁

1.  An impression, or the consciousness of an impression, made upon the central nervous organ, through the medium of a sensory or afferent nerve or one of the organs of sense; a feeling, or state of consciousness, whether agreeable or disagreeable, produced either by an external object (stimulus), or by some change in the internal state of the body. [1913 Webster]
"Perception is only a special kind of knowledge, and sensation a special kind of feeling. . . . Knowledge and feeling, perception and sensation, though always coexistent, are always in the inverse ratio of each other." [1913 Webster]

2.  A purely spiritual or psychical affection; agreeable or disagreeable feelings occasioned by objects that are not corporeal or material. [1913 Webster]

3.  A state of excited interest or feeling, or that which causes it. [1913 Webster]
"The sensation caused by the appearance of that work is still remembered by many." [1913 Webster]

sensation, n.
1 the consciousness of perceiving or seeming to perceive some state or condition of one's body or its parts or senses or of one's mind or its emotions; an instance of such consciousness (lost all sensation in my left arm; had a sensation of giddiness; a sensation of pride; in search of a new sensation).
2 a a stirring of emotions or intense interest esp. among a large group of people (the news caused a sensation). b a person, event, etc., causing such interest.
3 the sensational use of literary etc. material.

Etymology:
med.L sensatio f. L sensus SENSE

N  feeling, suffering, endurance, tolerance, sufferance, supportance, experience, response, sympathy, impression, inspiration, affection, sensation, emotion, pathos, deep sense, warmth, glow, unction, gusto, vehemence, fervor, fervency, heartiness, cordiality, earnestness, eagerness, empressement, gush, ardor, zeal, passion, enthusiasm, verve, furore, fanaticism, excitation of feeling, fullness of the heart, passion, ecstasy, blush, suffusion, flush, hectic, tingling, thrill, turn, shock, agitation, quiver, heaving, flutter, flurry, fluster, twitter, tremor, throb, throbbing, pulsation, palpitation, panting, trepidation, perturbation, ruffle, hurry of spirits, pother, stew, ferment, state of excitement, feeling, sentient, sensuous, sensorial, sensory, emotive, emotional, of feeling, with feeling, warm, quick, lively, smart, strong, sharp, acute, cutting, piercing, incisive, keen, keen as a razor, trenchant, pungent, racy, piquant, poignant, caustic, impressive, deep, profound, indelible, deep felt, home felt, heartfelt, swelling, soul-stirring, deep-mouthed, heart-expanding, electric, thrilling, rapturous, ecstatic, earnest, wistful, eager, breathless, fervent, fervid, gushing, passionate, warm-hearted, hearty, cordial, sincere, zealous, enthusiastic, glowing, ardent, burning, red-hot, fiery, flaming, boiling over, pervading, penetrating, absorbing, rabid, raving, feverish, fanatical, hysterical, impetuous, impressed with, moved with, touched with, affected with, penetrated with, seized with, imbued with, devoured by, wrought up, struck all of a heap, rapt, in a quiver, enraptured, heart and soul, from the bottom of one's heart, ab imo pectore, at heart, con amore, heartily, devoutly, over head and ears, head over heels, the heart big, the heart full, the heart swelling, the heart beating, the heart pulsating, the heart throbbing, the heart thumping, the heart beating high, the heart melting, the heart overflowing, the heart bursting, the heart breaking, the heart goes out, a heart as big as all outdoors (sympathy).

N  wonder, marvel, astonishment, amazement, wonderment, bewilderment, amazedness, admiration, awe, stupor, stupefaction, stound, fascination, sensation, surprise, note of admiration, thaumaturgy, surprised, aghast, all agog, breathless, agape, open- mouthed, awestruck, thunderstruck, moonstruck, planet-struck, spellbound, lost in amazement, lost in wonder, lost in astonishment, struck all of a heap, unable to believe one's senses, like a duck ion thunder, wonderful, wondrous, surprising, unexpected, unheard of, mysterious, miraculous, indescribable, inexpressible, inaffable, unutterable, unspeakable, monstrous, prodigious, stupendous, marvelous, inconceivable, incredible, inimaginable, unimaginable, strange, passing strange, striking, overwhelming, wonder-working, wonderfully fearfully, for a wonder, in the name of wonder, strange to say, mirabile dictu, mirabile visu, to one's great surprise, with wonder, with gaping mouth, with open eyes, with upturned eyes, Int, lo, lo and behold!, O!, heyday!, halloo!, what!, indeed!, really!, surely!, humph!, hem!, good lack, good heavens, good gracious!, Ye gods!, good Lord!, good grief!, Holy cow!, My word!, Holy shit!, gad so!, welladay!, dear me!, only think!, lackadaisy!, my stars, my goodness!, gracious goodness!, goodness gracious!, mercy on us!, heavens and earth!, God bless me!, bless us, bless my heart!, odzookens!, O gemini!, adzooks!, hoity-toity!, strong!, Heaven save the mark, bless the mark!, can such things be!, zounds!, 'sdeath!, what on earth, what in the world!, who would have thought it!, you don't say so!, You're kidding!, No kidding? what do you say to that!, nous verrons!, how now!, where am I?, vox faucibus haesit, one's hair standing on end.

N  physical sensibility, sensibility, sensitiveness, physical sensibility, feeling, impressibility, perceptivity, aesthetics, moral sensibility, sensation, impression, consciousness, external senses, sensible, sensitive, sensuous, aesthetic, perceptive, sentient, conscious, acute, sharp, keen, vivid, lively, impressive, thin-skinned, to the quick, the touch'd needle trembles to the pole.

auditory sensation, cutaneous sensation, gustatory sensation, haptic sensation, olfactory sensation, pain sensation, painful sensation, pressure sensation, skin sensation, somatic sensation, tactile sensation, tactual sensation, taste sensation, touch sensation, visual sensation