Pulsion

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpʌlʃn̩/

Definitions

1. A forceful inner drive that compels one to act or pursue certain goals
2. An intense urge originating within that motivates someone to take action
3. A compelling internal force that pushes an individual toward specific behaviors

Etymology: "Pulsion" comes from the Latin "pulsio," a noun built on "pellere," "to push or drive." That verb is the source of many English words about force and propulsion, such as "impel" and "propel." The Latin noun meant a pushing or driving, the physical act of forcing something forward. English borrowed the word from French, where "pulsion" carried the same literal sense of pushing. Over time, the meaning moved from a physical shove toward an inner drive, so that a pulsion came to describe a force that seems to arise from within a person and move them toward action. The word is a close relative of "pulse," which entered English through a different route from the same Latin verb. Both words share the image of something pressing or striking, though one stayed close to a steady beat while the other became a term for internal compulsion.

Synonyms: drive, impulse, urge