SKIP TO CONTENT

id

/ɪd/
/ɪd/
IPA guide

Use the word id when you talk about the most basic, impulsive part of a person's mind. A baby's instincts for food and comfort, for example, are controlled by her id.

In psychology, particularly in psychoanalysis, the mind is divided into three basic parts. The most instinctive of these is the id, the drives for pleasure, food, sex, and aggression. The id is the most chaotic and least organized part of the mind, controlled in a healthy person by the ego and superego. The word id is a Latin translation of the "Es" in Sigmund Freud's "Das Ich und das Es." Both Es and id mean "it."

Definitions of id
  1. noun
    (psychoanalysis) primitive instincts and energies underlying all psychic activity
    see moresee less
    type of:
    inherent aptitude, instinct
    inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
Pronunciation
US
/ɪd/
UK
/ɪd/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘id'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family