adjective
- of, relating to, or of the nature of instinct.
- prompted by or resulting from or as if from instinct; natural; unlearned: an instinctive will to survive.
adjective
- of, relating to, or resulting from instinct
- conditioned so as to appear innatean instinctive movement in driving
1610s (implied in instinctively), from Latin instinct-, past participle stem of instinguere (see instinct) + -ive. Related: Instinctiveness.