primitive instinct

collocation in English

meaningsofprimitiveandinstinct

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withinstinct.
primitive
adjective
uk
/ˈprɪm.ɪ.tɪv/us
/ˈprɪm.ə.t̬ɪv/
relating to human society at a very early stage of development, with people living in a simple way without machines or a ...
See more atprimitive
instinct
noun[C or U]
uk
/ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/us
/ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/
the way people or animals naturally react or behave, without having to think or learn ...
See more atinstinct

(Definition ofprimitiveandinstinctfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofprimitive instinct

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Thisprimitiveinstincthas inspired philosophical justification.
From theCambridge English Corpus
You could say that it is aprimitiveinstinctof territorial rights.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We are dealing with a primitive people, and this is aprimitiveinstinct.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Retribution is aprimitiveinstinctstretching back to lextalionis—an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is a ratherprimitiveinstinct.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Driven by theprimitiveinstinctto survive, the worker demanded financial relief measures from the state.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
This could be presented as a conflict between humans and nature, between primitive instincts and cultural ideas.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The ape and tiger in man rebel against the restraints which civilisation has imposed on his primitive instincts; but the ape and tiger become feebler as civilisation becomes more developed.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Thelex talionisis one of the oldest and most primitive instincts of mankind.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
This produces people who operate according to primitive instincts and reasoning alone, and who lack empathy and the capacity for spiritual growth.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
But emotions that originate in primitive instincts and fog the mind really must not exist.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
He explains that he is no longer sentient in the way that everyone else is, and that he sees the modern world through his primitive instincts.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofprimitive
Go to the definition ofinstinct
See other collocations withinstinct