The word “sentience” was already used in English and was present in German, Spanish and Italian languages, when the semiotician Astrid Guillaume pleaded for the recognition of the word in the French language, despite the position of the Academy of Veterinarians. Whether it was about considering the expression “liminal animals” or to recognize the differences between “sensitive” and “sentience”, as she underlined: “the preservation and the protection of animals involves linguistics, language, the words used, their meaning, their definitions, their evolution and their polysemy”. While considering the evolving definitions over time, as the enrichment of the French language and terminology, this paper will explore how these initiatives contributed to the evolution of policies and law. In this sense, this article proposes to analyze the contribution of the work of this Sorbonne’s Professor – also Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres – to change the image of animals in French society.