instinct

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A natural way of behaving or feeling that you are born with, not learned.

   Birds build nests by instinct.

2. 2
   noun

   A feeling that makes you act in a certain way without thinking it through.

   My instinct told me not to trust him.

From Latin īnstīnctus, past participle of īnstinguō (“to incite, to instigate”), from in (“in, on”) + stinguō (“to prick”).

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