instinct

¹

[in-stingkt]

noun

1. an inborn pattern of activity or tendency to action common to a given biological species.

2. a natural or innate impulse, inclination, or tendency.

3. a natural aptitude or gift.

   an instinct for making money.

   Synonyms: talent, faculty, knack, genius

4. natural intuitive power.

instinct

²

[in-stingkt]

adjective

1. filled or infused with some animating principle (usually followed bywith ).

   instinct with life.

2. Obsolete.,  animated by some inner force.

instinct

noun

1. the innate capacity of an animal to respond to a given stimulus in a relatively fixed way

2. inborn intuitive power

3. a natural and apparently innate aptitude

adjective

1. rare

   1. animated or impelled (by)

   2. imbued or infused (with)

instinct

1. An inherited tendency of an organism to behave in a certain way, usually in reaction to its environment and for the purpose of fulfilling a specific need. The development and performance of instinctive behavior does not depend upon the specific details of an individual's learning experiences. Instead, instinctive behavior develops in the same way for all individuals of the same species or of the same sex of a species. For example, birds will build the form of nest typical of their species although they may never have seen such a nest being built before. Some butterfly species undertake long migrations to wintering grounds that they have never seen. Behavior in animals often reflects the influence of a combination of instinct and learning. The basic song pattern of many bird species is inherited, but it is often refined by learning from other members of the species. Dogs that naturally seek to gather animals such as sheep or cattle into a group are said to have a herding instinct, but the effective use of this instinct by the dog also requires learning on the dog's part. Instinct, as opposed to reflex, is usually used of inherited behavior patterns that are more complex or sometimes involve a degree of interaction with learning processes.

instinct

1. Behavior that is not learned but passed between generations by heredity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of instinct¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin instinctus “prompting, instigation, enthusiasm,” noun use of past participle of insting(uere) “to excite, incite, rouse,” from in- in- ² + -stinguere, presumably, “to prick, mark by pricking” ( distinct, instigate )

Origin of instinct²

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin instinctus “excited, inspired,” past participle of instinguere “to excite, incite, rouse”; instinct ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of instinct¹

C15: from Latin instinctus roused, from instinguere to incite; compare _instigate

Example Sentences

Television offered a new stage for that same approach, bringing her classroom instincts to millions of viewers hungry to learn.

From Salon

“If something seems off, say something. Trust your instincts and report suspicious activity, whether it is a strange message, unusual behavior, or something that does not sit right.”

From Los Angeles Times

From being the first musician to rap in a No. 1 Billboard song to pursuing a solo career and an acting career post-Blondie break-up, following her creative instinct is something that comes naturally.

From Los Angeles Times

Suede’s sense of Britishness, however, was less a matter of manifesto than of instinct, driven by the desire to render small lives and intimate details in sweeping, romantic, even histrionic gestures.

From Los Angeles Times

Wissa's instincts in the box as well as his fitness record and ability to plug in make him an attractive proposition for Newcastle, who only had one player hit double figures last season.

From BBC

Related Words

• aptitude 
• feeling 
• hunch 
• impulse 
• inclination 
• intuition 
• knack 
• savvy 
• sense 
• sentiment 
• talent 
• tendency