- the innate capacity of an animal to respond to a given stimulus in a relatively fixed way
- inborn intuitive power
- rare (postpositive) often followed by with:
- animated or impelled (by)
- imbued or infused (with)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
in•stinct1 /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- an inborn pattern of activity: [countable]mating instincts.[uncountable]Wolves hunt in packs by instinct.
- a natural or innate impulse without needing to think or consider: [uncountable]He knew by instinct that he should keep quiet.[countable]She has an instinct to make money.
in•stinct1
(in′stingkt),USA pronunciation n.
in•stinct2 (in stingkt′),USA pronunciation adj.
- an inborn pattern of activity or tendency to action common to a given biological species.
- a natural or innate impulse, inclination, or tendency.
- a natural aptitude or gift:an instinct for making money.
- natural intuitive power.
- Latin instinctus prompting, instigation, enthusiasm, equivalent. to *insting(uere) (in- in-2 + *sting(u)ere presumably, to prick; see distinct) + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action
- late Middle English 1375–1425
- 3. genius, knack, faculty, talent.
in•stinct2 (in stingkt′),USA pronunciation adj.
- filled or infused with some animating principle (usually fol. by with):instinct with life.
- [Obs.]animated by some inner force.
- Latin instinctus excited, roused, inspired, past participle of *insting(u)ere; see instinct1
- 1530–40
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
instinct n /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/
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