libidinal
|li-bi-din-al|
🇺🇸
/lɪˈbɪdɪnəl/
🇬🇧
/lɪˈbɪdɪn(ə)l/
relating to desire/sexual drive
Etymology
'libidinal' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'libido', where 'libido' meant 'desire, lust'.
'libidinal' developed via Neo-Latin/medical-psychological formations (e.g. Latin/Neo-Latin 'libidinalis') and entered English usage in the late 19th to early 20th century, influenced by psychoanalytic vocabulary (notably Freud's use of 'libido').
Initially derived from a word meaning 'desire' or 'lust', it came to be used more technically to mean 'relating to sexual or instinctual drives' and, in psychoanalytic contexts, 'relating to psychic energy of desire'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to libido or sexual desire; pertaining to sexual appetite or sexual instincts.
The novel explores the libidinal impulses of its protagonist.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
relating to instinctual drives (especially sexual drives) in psychoanalytic theory; describing psychic energy tied to desire.
Freud discussed libidinal energy as a central force in human psychology.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/18 11:50