istinto

instinct

noun ee-STEEN-toh Rare

Origin: From Latin instinctus (impulse, incitement).

Usage Note

Istinto covers both animal instinct and human gut feeling. Common phrases: per istinto (instinctively), istinto di sopravvivenza (survival instinct), affidarsi all'istinto (to trust one's instincts). The adjective is istintivo (instinctive) and the adverb istintivamente. It is masculine despite ending in -o, which is the regular pattern.

Examples

"L'animale agì per puro istinto."

Natural Translation

The animal acted out of pure instinct.

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