Definition of 'instinct'
Word forms: plural instincts
1. variable noun
2. countable noun [also N to-inf]
3. variable noun [usually with poss, oft NOUN to-infinitive]
4. variable noun [oft NOUN that]
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
instinct in American English
noun
1.
(an) inborn tendency to behave in a way characteristic of a species; natural, unlearned, predictable response to stimuli
suckling is an instinct in mammals
2.
an instinct for doing the right thing
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
< L instinctus, pp. of instinguere, to impel, instigate < in-, in + *stinguere, to prick: for IE base see stickWord Frequency
instinct in American English 1
(ˈɪnstɪŋkt)
noun
SYNONYMS 3. genius, knack, faculty, talent.1.
2.
a natural or innate impulse, inclination, or tendency
3.
a natural aptitude or gift
an instinct for making money
4.
natural intuitive power
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1375–1425; late ME ‹ L instinctus prompting, instigation, enthusiasm, equiv. to *insting(uere) (in- in-2 + *sting(u)ere presumably, to prick; see distinct) + -tus suffix of v. action]Word Frequency
instinct in American English 2
(ɪnˈstɪŋkt)
adjective
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1530–40; ‹ L instinctus excited, roused, inspired, ptp. of *insting(u)ere; see instinct1]Examples of 'instinct' in a sentence
instinct
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In other languages
instinct
British English: instinct
/ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ NOUN
An instinct is the natural tendency that a person has to behave or react in a particular way.
...a basic instinct for survival.
- American English: instinct /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
- Arabic: غَرِيزَةٌ
- Brazilian Portuguese: instinto
- Chinese: 本能
- Croatian: instinkt
- Czech: instinkt
- Danish: instinkt
- Dutch: instinct
- European Spanish: instinto
- Finnish: vaisto
- French: instinct
- German: Instinkt
- Greek: ένστικτο
- Italian: istinto
- Japanese: 本能
- Korean: 본능
- Norwegian: instinkt
- Polish: instynkt
- European Portuguese: instinto
- Romanian: instinct
- Russian: инстинкт
- Latin American Spanish: instinto
- Swedish: instinkt
- Thai: สัญชาตญาณ
- Turkish: içgüdü
- Ukrainian: інстинкт
- Vietnamese: bản năng
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instinct
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Definition of instinct from the Collins English Dictionary
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