libidinous
Americanadjective
-
full of sexual lust; lustful; lewd; lascivious.
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of the libido.
adjective
-
characterized by excessive sexual desire
-
of or relating to the libido
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of libidinous
1400–50; late Middle English lybydynous < Latin libīdinōsus willful, lustful, equivalent to libīdin- (stem of libīdō ) libido + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
When you're libidinous you're driven by your libido, meaning your sex drive. When you describe someone as libidinous, it's usually not a compliment, since the word suggests being out of control with lust and desire. The word libidinous comes from the Latin word libido, meaning "desire," a word the world relearned from Sigmund Freud in the early 1900s. Freud believed that the libido is one of the powerful motivating forces for people and that psychological health is determined by how well a person controls and focuses it.
Vocabulary lists containing libidinous
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
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The Man in the High Castle
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The Great Santini
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Their care was funded by great commercial wealth—among the most compelling characters here is the man whose bequest first financed the Innocenti: Francesco Datini, a preposterously wealthy, libidinous and melancholy-prone merchant.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
Hurwitz, 40, has in fact only ever worked with Chazelle; their other films include the Neil Armstrong drama “First Man” and the libidinous epic “Babylon.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2025
In later life, Phillips grew tired of playing libidinous, cravat-wearing libertines and took the brave decision to shelve light comedy, and have a go at serious stuff.
From BBC • Nov. 8, 2022
James' portrayal is undeniably delicate and compassionate, defying the common '90s portraiture of Anderson making her out to be a libidinous twit.
From Salon • Feb. 3, 2022
This is as funny as Crosland at his best, say his round arm hit at Burns, the "incontinent and libidinous ploughman with a turn for verse"—a sublime bladder whack!
From From Edinburgh to India & Burmah by Burn Murdoch, W. G. (William Gordon)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
