inhibition
pronunciation
How to pronounce inhibition in British English:
UK [ˌɪnhɪˈbɪʃn]
How to pronounce inhibition in American English:
US [ˌɪnhəˈbɪʃən, ˌɪnə-]
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- Noun:
- (psychology) the conscious exclusion of unacceptable thoughts or desires
- the quality of being inhibited
- (physiology) the process whereby nerves can retard or prevent the functioning of an organ or part
- the action of prohibiting or inhibiting or forbidding (or an instance thereof)
Word Origin
- inhibition (n.)
- late 14c., "formal prohibition; interdiction of legal proceedings by authority;" also, the document setting forth such a prohibition, from Old French inibicion and directly from Latin inhibitionem (nominative inhibitio) "a restraining," from past participle stem of inhibere "to hold in, hold back, keep back," from in- "in, on" (see in- (2)) + habere "to hold" (see habit (n.)). Psychological sense of "involuntary check on an expression of an impulse" is from 1876.
Example
- 1. Inhibition of the parasympathetic system can therefore also cause dilation .
- 2. I think he must have been held back by fears , some kind of inhibition .
- 3. In test-tube studies , all 38 strains of bacteria tested - representing 15 different species - showed some inhibition of hiv .
- 4. They found that obese participants had difficulties with inhibition and focusing their attention .
- 5. Brain geeks call this response inhibition .