Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “instinctual” come from?

Instinctual derives from English instinct, from Latin instinctus, the past participle of instinguo meaning to impel or incite, composed of Latin in and instinguo's root from Proto-Indo-European h₁én.

instinctual (English): Of, relating to, or derived from instinct

Definitions

  1. Of, relating to, or derived from instinct

Ancestry of “instinctual”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishinstinctA natural or inherent impulse or behaviour; An...
2Latinīnstinctus—
3Latininstinguoto incite, to instigate
4Latinīn-—
5Latinîn—
6Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
7Proto-Italicenin
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “instinctual”

  • instinctually
  • noninstinctual
  • instinctualize
  • instinctualization
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →