English
instinction
Instinction comes from Medieval Latin īnstīnctiō ‘instigation, impulse, instinction’, from Latin stinguō ‘to put out, extinguish’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ- ‘to push’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stengʷ-‘to push’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sténgʷeti‘to push, thrust’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*stengʷō‘to push’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstinguō‘to put out, extinguish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstinguō‘to excite, arouse, instigate, stimulate, enflame’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500īnstīnctiō‘instigation, impulse, instinction’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600instincion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500instinccion
- Englishearliest quotation 1531instinction
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*stengʷ-‘to push’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sténgʷeti‘to push, thrust’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*stengʷō‘to push’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstinguō‘to put out, extinguish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstinguō‘to excite, arouse, instigate, stimulate, enflame’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500īnstīnctiō‘instigation, impulse, instinction’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600instincion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500instinccion
- Englishearliest quotation 1531instinction
Earliest quotation: 1531, Thomas Elyot, The seconde and thirde decay of lernyng amonge gentilmen: “And therfore Tulli in his Tusculane questyons supposeth that…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ- ‘to push’
through Proto-Italic *stengʷō ‘to push’
through Latin stinguō ‘to put out, extinguish’
Today it means
noun Instinct, incitement, or inspiration.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *stengʷ- / instinction