Id

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Id

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

id  /ɪd/

Definition

In Freudian psychoanalytic theory, the most primitive part of the psyche — the unconscious reservoir of instinctual drives, desires, and impulses, operating on the pleasure principle and seeking immediate gratification without regard to reality or morality; also a shorthand for identification document (ID card, passport, driving licence).

Plain meaning

The id is Freud's term for the most primitive, instinct-driven part of the human mind — the part that wants pleasure immediately, without thinking about consequences or morality. Freud said the mind has three parts: the id (primitive desires), the ego (the rational self), and the superego (the conscience). ID also means a document that proves who you are.

Register

Technical in psychoanalytic and psychological contexts. Id is used in clinical psychology, psychotherapy, and popular psychology discourse. The id-ego-superego model is widely known even among non-specialists. The ID abbreviation (identity document) is used in all registers.