51Թ

Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

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: , , ,
  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

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. rare

    1. animated or impelled (by)

    2. imbued or infused (with)

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Discover More

51Թ 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
Discover More

51Թ History and Origins

Origin of instinct1

C15: from Latin instinctus roused, from instinguere to incite; compare instigate
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But of course, being a progressive, I am expected to set aside my instincts and assume the average American is too stupid or bigoted or poisoned by right-wing propaganda to see what I see.

From

Olsen: You mentioned instinct and how you have to learn to trust your gut working with someone like Jeremy, saying yes to a project.

From

According to the complaint, in an interview with a Border Patrol agent later, Gomez said he ran away from the agents on instinct when he saw the “cop car.”

From

It was an instinct that made his life as full and exciting as his thrillers.

From

Patterson said that the nursing home fiasco and its subsequent cover-up point to one of Cuomo’s core political instincts: “Don’t ever admit to anything.”

From

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


instilledinstinctive