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- Dictionaryinstinct
noun
- 1. an innate, typically fixed pattern of behaviour in animals in response to certain stimuli: "the homing instinct"
adjective
- 1. imbued or filled with (a quality, especially a desirable one): formal "these canvases are instinct with passion"
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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.
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.
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. He always knew what time it was, as if by instinct.
An inherited tendency of an organism to behave in a certain way, usually in reaction to its environment and for the purpose of fulfilling a specific need. The development and performance of instinctive behavior does not depend upon the specific details of an individual's learning experiences. Instead, instinctive behavior develops in the same ...
noun. /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.
Noun. Adjective. Filter. noun. instincts. (an) Inborn tendency to behave in a way characteristic of a species; natural, unlearned, predictable response to stimuli. Suckling is an instinct in mammals. Webster's New World. Similar definitions. A natural or acquired tendency, aptitude, or talent; bent; knack; gift.
the way someone naturally reacts or behaves, without having to think or learn about it: [ + to do sth ] a mother's instinct to protect her children. (Definition of instinct from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Translations of instinct. in Chinese (Traditional) 本能，直覺… See more. in Chinese (Simplified) 本能，直觉… See more
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.
instinct meaning, definition, what is instinct: a natural tendency to behave in a partic...: Learn more.
1. An inborn pattern of behavior that is characteristic of a species and is often a response to specific environmental stimuli: the spawning instinct in salmon; altruistic instincts in social animals. 2. A powerful motivation or impulse. 3. An innate capability or aptitude: an instinct for tact and diplomacy. adj. (ĭn-stĭngkt′) 1.
