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
Myisha Battle, TIME, 15 May 2024
Maca has become increasingly popular with men, although the evidence is weak on its ability to improve libido and boost energy.
—Anne Cook Carroll, Verywell Health, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for libido 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'libido.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Libido.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libido. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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