Search results
- DictionaryIn·stinct
noun
- 1. an innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli: "birds have an instinct to build nests"
adjective
- 1. imbued or filled with (a quality, especially a desirable one): formal "these canvases are instinct with passion"
1. : a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity. had an instinct for the right word. 2. a. : a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason. b. : behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level. instinctual.
the way people or animals naturally react or behave, without having to think or learn about it: All his instincts told him to stay near the car and wait for help. [ + to infinitive ] Her first instinct was to run. It is instinct that tells the birds when to begin their migration.
instinct. 1. [ in -stingkt ] Phonetic (Standard)IPA. noun. 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. Synonyms: talent, faculty, knack, genius. natural intuitive power. instinct. 2.
An instinct is something you don't need to learn — it happens naturally, without you even thinking about it. Babies cry by instinct, and ducks follow their mother by instinct. Animals and humans learn a lot of things from other animals and humans.
5 days ago · Word forms: plural instincts. 1. variable noun. Instinct is the natural tendency that a person or animal has to behave or react in a particular way. I didn't have as strong a maternal instinct as some other mothers. The basis for training relies on the dog's natural instinct to hunt and retrieve.
filled or infused with some animating principle (usually followed by with): instinct with life.
/ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ [uncountable, countable] a natural quality that makes people and animals tend to behave in a particular way using the knowledge and abilities that they were born with rather than thought or training. She did not seem to have any of the usual maternal instincts.
