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
- Of, relating to, or derived from instinct
Ancestry of “instinctual”, step by step
instinctual traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English instinct
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | instinct | A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour; An... |
| 2 | Latin | īnstinctus | instigation |
| 3 | Latin | instinguo | to incite, to instigate |
| 4 | Latin | īn- | un-, non-, not |
| 5 | Latin | în | in, at, on, upon, from (space) |
| 6 | Latin | en | lookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | en | in |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁én | in |
via French instinctuel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | instinctuel | instinctual |