/ ˈɪnstɪŋkt; NAmE / noun [ U , C ]
1.
instinct (for sth / for doing sth) | instinct (to do sth) a natural tendency for people and animals to behave in a particular way using the knowledge and abilities that they were born with rather than thought or training :
maternal instincts
Children do not know by instinct the difference between right and wrong.
His first instinct was to run away.
Horses have a well-developed instinct for fear.
Even at school, he showed he had an instinct for (= was naturally good at) business.
2.
instinct (that ... ) a feeling that makes you do sth or believe that sth is true, even though it is not based on facts or reason
SYN intuition :
Her instincts had been right.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (also in the sense instigation, impulse ): from Latin instinctus impulse, from the verb instinguere , from in- towards + stinguere to prick.