Where does “instinct” come from?

Instinct comes from Latin instinctus, past participle of instinguo, formed from the prefix in and a root related to Proto-Indo-European h₁én meaning "to be."

instinct (English): A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour; An...

Definitions

  1. A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour; An...

Ancestry of “instinct”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinīnstinctusinstigation
2Latininstinguoto incite, to instigate
3Latinīn-un-, non-, not
4Latinînin, at, on, upon, from (space)
5Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
6Proto-Italicenin
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “instinct”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →