noun Uncommon

libido

lih-BEE-doh

Libido (noun) means Sexual desire or drive. Example: “Stress and lack of sleep can lower a person's libido.”

noun

Sexual desire or drive.

"Stress and lack of sleep can lower a person's libido."

"The medication listed a reduced libido as a possible side effect."

How to use libido

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA person's level of sexual desire.

When to use it

Fairly clinical in tone — common in medical and psychological contexts rather than casual conversation.

Common pairings

low libido high libido boost your libido

libidos plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “libido” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

Stress and lack of sleep can lower a person's _____.

A learned borrowing from Latin libido, "lust, desire," popularized in English through early 20th-century psychoanalysis, notably by Sigmund Freud.

Origin: Latin · First attested 1900

Class of 1900 libido joined the language around 1900.

addictive Alfredo Alyssa antsy applesauce

See the full Class of 1900 →

Ido lido dido fido Guido bushido Garrido Hokkaido

What is the meaning of libido?

"libido" (noun) means sexual desire or drive.

How do you use libido in a sentence?

Example: "Stress and lack of sleep can lower a person's libido."