pen·sée \päⁿˈsā\noun (-s) Etymology: in sense 1, from French, from Pensées (1670), literary work by Blaise Pascal died 1662 French scientist and philosopher; in sense 2, from French, from Middle French — more at pansy 1.: a thought expressed in literary form < not a system of ethics at all but simply a collection of maxims and pensées — J.C.Ransom > 2.: pansy 2