From Latin 'instinguere' (to prick from within) — an inner goading that drives action without thought.
An innate, typically fixed pattern of behaviour in animals in response to certain stimuli; a natural or intuitive way of acting or thinking.
From Latin 'instinctus' (impulse, instigation, inspiration), a noun from 'instinguere' (to incite, to urge, to impel, to inspire), from 'in-' (upon, into) + 'stinguere' (to prick, to goad, to prod, to quench). The PIE root underlying 'stinguere' is *steig- (to prick, to pierce, to be sharp), which produced a wide family: Latin 'stimulus' (a goad, a pointed stick), 'instigāre' (to urge on, to incite), Greek 'stizein' (to prick, to tattoo, source of 'stigma'), and Germanic 'stechzen,' 'stitch,' and 'stick.' The core image in 'instinct' is of being pricked or goaded from within — an internal spur that drives action without
'Instinct,' 'distinguish,' and 'extinguish' are all from the same Latin verb 'stinguere' (to prick/goad). An instinct pricks you from within (in- + stinguere). To distinguish is to prick things apart (dis- + stinguere). To extinguish is to prick out a flame (ex- + stinguere). And 'sting' and 'stick' are Germanic cousins from the