libido
noun
Did you know?
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
Patricia Bencivenga, STAT, 26 Mar. 2026
Social media is rife with influencers and life coaches selling supplements to relieve night sweats, clear brain fog and sustain libido.
—Ann Juliano, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
Hot flashes, low libido, and joint pain are common physical symptoms of menopause.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 18 Feb. 2026
Estrogen helps protect against osteoporosis and can help with mood, memory and libido.
—Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Libido.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libido. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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