libido

See also: Libido and libidó

English

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō (“lust, desire”). Used originally in psychoanalytic contexts.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /lɪˈbiː.dəʊ/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ləˈbi.doʊ/, /lɪˈ-/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːdəʊ

Noun

libido (countable and uncountable, plural libidos)

1. (common usage) Sexual urges or drives.

   Synonym: (vulgar) horniness

   Antonym: frigidity

   Good grief man, control your libido!

2. (psychology) Drives or mental energies related to or based on sexual instincts but not necessarily sexual in and of themselves.

   Antonyms: destrudo, mortido

   Hypernym: drive

   For Freudians, libido means the desire to "unite and bind" with objects in the world.

   The ego as an organ which seeks to synthesize thoughts in the psyche is said to be driven by libido or eros.

3. (astronomy, archaic or misused, an occasional carry-over from astrology to astronomy) Synonym of albedo in terms of a planet's, such as that of Mars, average surface spectral reflectivity.

Derived terms

• libidoless

Related terms

• libido dominandi

Descendants

• → Mandarin: 力比多 (lìbǐduō)
• → Irish: libídeo
• → Japanese: リビドー (ribidō)
• → Korean: 리비도 (ribido)

Translations

sexual urges or drives

• Arabic: غَرِيزَة جِنْسِيَّة f (ḡarīza jinsiyya)

  Egyptian Arabic: ليبيدو m (libido)

• Armenian: լիբիդո (hy) (libido)
• Bikol Central: libog (bcl)
• Bulgarian: либидо n (libido)
• Catalan: libido (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 性衝動 / 性冲动 (zh) (xìngchōngdòng)

• Czech: libido (cs) n
• Dutch: libido (nl) m
• Esperanto: volupto
• Estonian: libiido, iha, sugutung
• Finnish: halut pl, libido (fi), himot pl
• French: libido (fr) m
• Galician: libido f
• German: Libido (de) f, sexuelle Begierde f
• Hebrew: תשוקה (he) f (tshuká), לִיבִּידוֹ (he) m (libido)
• Hungarian: libidó (hu)
• Indonesian: libido (id)
• Japanese: 性衝動 (せいしょうどう, seishōdō)
• Latin: libīdō f
• Maori: taera
• Persian: لیبیدو (libido, libidu)
• Polish: libido (pl) n, popęd seksualny m, pożądanie seksualne n, chuć (pl) f
• Portuguese: libido (pt) f
• Romanian: libido (ro) n
• Russian: либи́до (ru) n (libído)
• Slovak: libido n
• Slovene: libído m
• Spanish: libido (es) f
• Swahili: ashiki, nyege (sw), libido
• Swedish: libido (sv) c
• Tagalog: libog
• Turkish: libido (tr), şehvet (tr), cinsel dürtü, cinsellik içgüdüsü

drives or mental energies related or based on sexual instincts but not necessarily sexual in and of themselves.

• Armenian: լիբիդո (hy) (libido)
• Catalan: libido (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 性力 (xìnglì), 力比多 (lìbǐduō)

• Dutch: libido (nl)
• Finnish: libido (fi), elämänvoima
• French: libido (fr) f
• German: Libido (de) f
• Hebrew: לִיבִּידוֹ (he) m (libido)
• Indonesian: libido (id)
• Irish: libídeo m
• Japanese: リビドー (ribidō)
• Korean: 리비도 (ko) (ribido)
• Polish: libido (pl) n
• Portuguese: libido (pt) f
• Russian: либи́до (ru) n (libído)
• Spanish: libido (es) f
• Turkish: libido (tr)

See also

• nymphomaniac, hypersexuality, masturbator

Catalan

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [liˈβi.ðu]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [liˈbi.ðo]

Noun

libido f (plural libidos)

1. libido

Related terms

• libidinal
• libidinós

Further reading

• “libido”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025.

Czech

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈlɪbɪdo]
• Hyphenation: li‧bi‧do

Noun

libido n

1. libido

Declension

Declension of libido (hard neuter)

	singular	plural
nominative	libido	libida
genitive	libida	libid
dative	libidu	libidům
accusative	libido	libida
vocative	libido	libida
locative	libidu	libidech
instrumental	libidem	libidy

Further reading

• “libido”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “libido”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Finnish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlibido/, [ˈlibido̞]
• Rhymes: -ibido
• Syllabification^(key): li‧bi‧do
• Hyphenation^(key): li‧bi‧do

Noun

libido

1. libido

Declension

Inflection of libido (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		libido	libidot
genitive		libidon	libidojen
partitive		libidoa	libidoja
illative		libidoon	libidoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		libido	libidot
accusative	nom.	libido	libidot
	gen.	libidon
genitive		libidon	libidojen
partitive		libidoa	libidoja
inessive		libidossa	libidoissa
elative		libidosta	libidoista
illative		libidoon	libidoihin
adessive		libidolla	libidoilla
ablative		libidolta	libidoilta
allative		libidolle	libidoille
essive		libidona	libidoina
translative		libidoksi	libidoiksi
abessive		libidotta	libidoitta
instructive		—	libidoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of libido (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative libidoni libidoni accusative nom. libidoni libidoni gen. libidoni genitive libidoni libidojeni partitive libidoani libidojani inessive libidossani libidoissani elative libidostani libidoistani illative libidooni libidoihini adessive libidollani libidoillani ablative libidoltani libidoiltani allative libidolleni libidoilleni essive libidonani libidoinani translative libidokseni libidoikseni abessive libidottani libidoittani instructive — — comitative — libidoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative libidosi libidosi accusative nom. libidosi libidosi gen. libidosi genitive libidosi libidojesi partitive libidoasi libidojasi inessive libidossasi libidoissasi elative libidostasi libidoistasi illative libidoosi libidoihisi adessive libidollasi libidoillasi ablative libidoltasi libidoiltasi allative libidollesi libidoillesi essive libidonasi libidoinasi translative libidoksesi libidoiksesi abessive libidottasi libidoittasi instructive — — comitative — libidoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative libidomme libidomme accusative nom. libidomme libidomme gen. libidomme genitive libidomme libidojemme partitive libidoamme libidojamme inessive libidossamme libidoissamme elative libidostamme libidoistamme illative libidoomme libidoihimme adessive libidollamme libidoillamme ablative libidoltamme libidoiltamme allative libidollemme libidoillemme essive libidonamme libidoinamme translative libidoksemme libidoiksemme abessive libidottamme libidoittamme instructive — — comitative — libidoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative libidonne libidonne accusative nom. libidonne libidonne gen. libidonne genitive libidonne libidojenne partitive libidoanne libidojanne inessive libidossanne libidoissanne elative libidostanne libidoistanne illative libidoonne libidoihinne adessive libidollanne libidoillanne ablative libidoltanne libidoiltanne allative libidollenne libidoillenne essive libidonanne libidoinanne translative libidoksenne libidoiksenne abessive libidottanne libidoittanne instructive — — comitative — libidoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative libidonsa libidonsa accusative nom. libidonsa libidonsa gen. libidonsa genitive libidonsa libidojensa partitive libidoaan libidoansa libidojaan libidojansa inessive libidossaan libidossansa libidoissaan libidoissansa elative libidostaan libidostansa libidoistaan libidoistansa illative libidoonsa libidoihinsa adessive libidollaan libidollansa libidoillaan libidoillansa ablative libidoltaan libidoltansa libidoiltaan libidoiltansa allative libidolleen libidollensa libidoilleen libidoillensa essive libidonaan libidonansa libidoinaan libidoinansa translative libidokseen libidoksensa libidoikseen libidoiksensa abessive libidottaan libidottansa libidoittaan libidoittansa instructive — — comitative — libidoineen libidoinensa

Further reading

• “libido”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

French

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li.bi.do/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

libido f (usually uncountable, plural libidos)

1. sex drive, libido

Derived terms

• libidinal
• libidineux

Descendants

• → Turkish: libido

Further reading

• “libido”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Galician

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liˈβið̞ʊ/

Noun

libido f (plural libidos)

1. libido

Related terms

• libidonoso

Further reading

• “libido”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Italian

Noun

libido f (invariable)

1. (psychoanalysis) libido

See also

• libidine

Anagrams

• bolidi

Latin

Alternative forms

• lubīdō

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *luβēō (“to desire”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- (“love, care, desire”); see -īdō.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [lɪˈbiː.doː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [liˈbiː.d̪o]

Noun

libīdō f (genitive libīdinis); third declension

1. desire, fancy, inclination, longing, pleasure, caprice, passion, wantonness

   Synonyms: cupīdō, studium, appetītiō, dēsīderium, appetītus, amor, impetus, ardor, inclīnātiō, prōpēnsiō, avāritia

   • 55 BCE, Cicero, De Oratore 3.1:

     Haec tibi est incīdenda lingua, quā vel ēvulsā spīritū ipsō libīdinem tuam lībertās mea refūtābit.

     (For that) you must sever this tongue of mine, and even if it is torn out, the freedom in my very breath will confound your wantonness.

2. lust, sensuality

   Synonyms: amor, cupīdō

   Libīdō vincit omnia.

   Lust conquers everything.

   • c. 4 BCE – 65 CE, Seneca the Younger, De brevitate vitae 7:

     In prīmīs autem et illōs numerō quī nūllī reī nisi vīnō ac libīdinī vacant; nūllī enim turpius occupātī sunt.

     But among the worst I count also those who have time for nothing but wine and lust; for none have more shameful engrossments.

   • c. 69 CE – 122 CE, Suetonius, De vita Caesarum 3 44:

     Maiōre adhūc ac turpiōre īnfāmiā flagrāvit, vix ut referrī audīrīve, nēdum crēdī fās sit, quasi puerōs prīmae teneritūdinis, quōs pisciculōs vocābat, īnstitueret, ut natantī sibi inter femina versārentur ac lūderent linguā morsūque sēnsim adpetentēs; atque etiam quasi īnfantēs firmiōrēs, necdum tamen lacte dēpulsōs, inguinī ceu papillae admovēret, prōnior sānē ad id genus libīdinis et nātūrā et aetāte.

     He was excited with a greater and more shameful infamy, that hardly can be told or heard, by no means be believed to be allowed by the gods, like how he trained little boys of the tenderest age, which he called 'little fish', to go around between his thighs and rouse his senses with the tongue and by biting, while he was swimming; or even how he put stronger babies, not weaned yet, to his genitals as if to nipples, certainly more inclined to this kind of lechery by nature as well as by age.

Declension

Third-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	libīdō	libīdinēs
genitive	libīdinis	libīdinum
dative	libīdinī	libīdinibus
accusative	libīdinem	libīdinēs
ablative	libīdine	libīdinibus
vocative	libīdō	libīdinēs

Derived terms

• libīdinōsus

Related terms

• libet
• libīdinōsē
• libita

Descendants

• → Armenian: լիբիդո (libido)
• → Catalan: libido
• → Dutch: libido
• → English: libido
  • → Mandarin: 力比多 (lìbǐduō)
  • → Irish: libídeo
  • → Japanese: リビドー (ribidō)
  • → Korean: 리비도 (ribido)
• → Finnish: libido
• → French: libido
  • → Turkish: libido
• → German: Libido
• → Galician: libido
• → Hebrew: לִיבִּידוֹ (libido)
• → Hungarian: libidó
• → Italian: libido, libidine
• → Polish: libido
• → Portuguese: libido
• → Romanian: libido
• → Russian: либи́до (libído)
• → Serbo-Croatian: лѝбидо (lìbido)
• → Slovene: lȋbido
• → Spanish: libido
• → Swedish: libido

References

• “libido”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “libido”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• libido in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • anger is defined as a passionate desire for revenge: iracundiam sic (ita) definiunt, ut ulciscendi libidinem esse dicant or ut u. libido sit or iracundiam sic definiunt, ulc. libidinem
    
  • to be carried away by one's passions: libidine ferri
    
  • to abandon oneself (entirely) to debauchery: se (totum) libidinibus dedere
    
  • to bridle one's desires: refrenare cupiditates, libidines
    
  • to arouse some one's lust: libidinem alicuius excitare
    
  • the passions win the day: libido dominatur (Or. 65. 219)
    
  • the storm of passion has abated: libido consēdit
    

Polish

Etymology

From Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liˈbi.dɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -idɔ
• Syllabification: li‧bi‧do

Noun

libido n (indeclinable)

1. (common usage) libido (sexual urges or drives)

   Synonyms: popęd seksualny, pożądanie seksualne, chuć

2. (psychoanalysis) libido (drives or mental energies related or based on sexual instincts but not necessarily sexual in and of themselves)

Further reading

• libido in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• libido in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• líbido

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /liˈbi.du/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /liˈbi.du/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /liˈbi.do/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /liˈbi.du/ [liˈβi.ðu]

• Hyphenation: li‧bi‧do

Noun

libido m or f (plural libidos)

1. (psychology) libido (sexual urges or drives)
2. (psychology) libido (drives based on sexual instincts)

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin libido or French libido.

Noun

libido n (uncountable)

1. sex drive, libido

Declension

Declension of libido

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	libido	libidoul
genitive-dative	libido	libidoului
vocative	libidoule

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lǐbido/
• Hyphenation: li‧bi‧do

Noun

lìbido m (Cyrillic spelling лѝбидо)

1. libido

Declension

Declension of libido

	singular	plural
nominative	libido	libida
genitive	libida	libida
dative	libidu	libidima
accusative	libido	libida
vocative	libido	libida
locative	libidu	libidima
instrumental	libidom	libidima

Related terms

• lȉbidinōzan

Slovak

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʎibidɔ]

Noun

libido n

1. libido

Declension

Declension of libido
(pattern mesto)

	singular	plural
nominative	libido	libidá
genitive	libida	libíd
dative	libidu	libidám
accusative	libido	libidá
locative	libide	libidách
instrumental	libidom	libidami

Further reading

• “libido”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

Slovene

Etymology

From Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /líːbidɔ/

Noun

lȋbido m inan

1. libido

Declension

The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.

Masculine inan., hard o-stem
nom. sing.	líbido
gen. sing.	líbida
	singular	dual	plural
nominative (imenovȃlnik)	líbido	líbida	líbidi
genitive (rodȋlnik)	líbida	líbidov	líbidov
dative (dajȃlnik)	líbidu	líbidoma	líbidom
accusative (tožȋlnik)	líbido	líbida	líbide
locative (mẹ̑stnik)	líbidu	líbidih	líbidih
instrumental (orọ̑dnik)	líbidom	líbidoma	líbidi

Derived terms

• libidinózen

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin libīdō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /liˈbido/ [liˈβ̞i.ð̞o]
• Rhymes: -ido
• Syllabification: li‧bi‧do

Usage notes

• There is a certain tendency to pronounce libido as /ˈli.bi.do/ due to the influence of lívido, but this pronunciation is incorrect according to the Spanish orthography and thus not recommended.

Noun

libido f (plural libidos)

1. libido, sex drive

Further reading

• “libido”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Swahili

Etymology

Borrowed from English libido.

Noun

libido class IX (plural libido class X)

1. libido

   Synonyms: ashiki, nyege

Swedish

Noun

libido c

1. libido (sexual urges or drives)

   Synonym: könsdrift

2. (psychology) libido

Declension

Declension of libido

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	libido	libidos
	definite	libidon	libidons
plural	indefinite	—	—
	definite	—	—

References

• libido in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• libido in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)