libido
noun
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The Latin word libido, meaning "desire, lust", was borrowed by Sigmund Freud as the name for a concept in his own theories. At first he defined libido to mean the instinctual energy associated with the sex drive. Later he broadened the word's meaning and began using it to mean the mental energy behind purposeful human activity of any kind; in other words, the libido (for which Freud also used the term eros, a Greek word meaning "sexual love") came to be regarded as the life instinct, which included sex along with all the other impulses we rely on to keep us alive. But those of us who aren't psychologists use the word simply as a synonym for "sex drive".
Examples of libido in a Sentence
Armond White, National Review, 10 Jan. 2025
Mood swings Increased anxiety or depression Symptoms of low estrogen in people assigned male at birth may include low libido and excess abdominal fat.3
Low estrogen can also affect your general overall health.
—Wendy Wisner, Health, 26 Dec. 2024
The course also explores topics like desire, libido and maintaining intimacy with partners.
—Jennifer Shanker, Flow Space, 6 Dec. 2024
Vaginal dryness and discomfort Painful intercourse Increased urinary or vaginal infections
Loss of bladder tone leading to urinary incontinence
Lower libido
Bone loss.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near libido
Cite this Entry
“Libido.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libido. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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