Definitions for instinct
ˈɪn stɪŋktin·stinct

Princeton's WordNet(4.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. instinct, inherent aptitude(adj)

   inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli

   "the spawning instinct in salmon"; "altruistic instincts in social animals"

2. instinct(p), replete(p)(adj)

   (followed by `with')deeply filled or permeated

   "imbued with the spirit of the Reformation"; "words instinct with love"; "it is replete with misery"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. instinct(Noun)

   A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour.

   Many animals fear fire by instinct.

2. instinct(Noun)

   An intuitive reaction not based on rational conscious thought.

   Debbie's instinct was to distrust John.

3. instinct(Adjective)

   Urged or stimulated from within, infused

Origin: From instinctus, past participle of instinguere, from in + stinguere

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Instinct(adj)

   urged or stimulated from within; naturally moved or impelled; imbued; animated; alive; quick; as, birds instinct with life

2. Instinct(adj)

   natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or unreasoning prompting to any mode of action, whether bodily, or mental, without a distinct apprehension of the end or object to be accomplished

3. Instinct(adj)

   specif., the natural, unreasoning, impulse by which an animal is guided to the performance of any action, without of improvement in the method

4. Instinct(adj)

   a natural aptitude or knack; a predilection; as, an instinct for order; to be modest by instinct

5. Instinct(verb)

   to impress, as an animating power, or instinct

Origin: [L. instinctus, p. p. of instinguere to instigate, incite; cf. instigare to instigate. Cf. Instigate, Distinguish.]

Freebase(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Instinct

   Instinct or innate behavior is the inherent inclination of a living organism toward a particular complex behavior. The simplest example of an instinctive behavior is a fixed action pattern, in which a very short to medium length sequence of actions, without variation, are carried out in response to a clearly defined stimulus. Any behavior is instinctive if it is performed without being based upon prior experience, and is therefore an expression of innate biological factors. Sea turtles, newly hatched on a beach, will automatically move toward the ocean. A joey climbs into its mother's pouch upon being born. Honeybees communicate by dancing in the direction of a food source without formal instruction. Other examples include animal fighting, animal courtship behavior, internal escape functions, and the building of nests. All of these are examples of complex behaviors and are thus substantially different from simple reflex behaviors. An instinct should be distinguished from a reflex, which is a simple response of an organism to a specific stimulus, such as the contraction of the pupil in response to bright light or the spasmodic movement of the lower leg when the knee is tapped. Instincts, in contrast, are inborn complex patterns of behavior that must exist in every member of the species and that cannot be overcome by force of will. However, the absence of volitional capacity must not be confused with an inability to modify fixed action patterns. For example, people may be able to modify a stimulated fixed action pattern by consciously recognizing the point of its activation and simply stop doing it, whereas animals without a sufficiently strong volitional capacity may not be able to disengage from their fixed action patterns, once activated.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Instinct

   in′stingkt, n. impulse: an involuntary prompting to action: intuition: the mental aspect of those actions which take rank between unconscious reflex activities and intelligent conduct: the natural impulse by which animals are guided apparently independent of reason or experience.—adj. (in-stingkt′) instigated or incited: moved: animated.—adj. Instinc′tive, prompted by instinct: involuntary: acting according to or determined by natural impulse.—adv. Instinc′tively.—n. Instinctiv′ity (rare). [L. instinctus—instinguĕre, to instigate.]

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Instinct

   Stereotyped patterns of response, characteristic of a given species, that have been phylogenetically adapted to a specific type of situation.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'instinct' in Nouns Frequency: #2015

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of instinct in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of instinct in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of instinct in a Sentence

1. Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science, section 116:

   Morality is herd instinct in the individual.

2. George Gordon Noel Byron, 6th Baron Byron:

   There is no instinct like that of the heart.

3. Friedrich Nietzsche:

   Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.

4. George Bernard Shaw:

   Common sense is instinct. Enough of it is genius.

5. Vernon Lane:

   I was just doing my job, it's my instinct to help.

Images & Illustrations of instinct

Popularity rank by frequency of use