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
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Antidepressants in general may cause side effects including an upset gastrointestinal tract, decreased libido, weight gain, headaches, insomnia, tremor or temperature changes, according to Joseph.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
Lower libido, erectile dysfunction in men, difficulties with arousal in women, and trouble reaching orgasm for everyone.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Misaligned circadian rhythms, common in shift workers or frequent travelers, can disrupt libido and intimacy windows.
—Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Libido.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libido. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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