intern

1
[ in-turn ]
See synonyms for: interninternedinterning on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a resident member of the medical staff of a hospital, usually a recent medical school graduate serving under supervision.

  2. Education. student teacher.

  1. a person who works as an apprentice or trainee in an occupation or profession to gain practical experience, and sometimes also to satisfy legal or other requirements for being licensed or accepted professionally.

verb (used without object),in·terned, in·tern·ing.
  1. to be or perform the duties of an intern.

Origin of intern

1
First recorded in 1825–30 for def. 1, and in 1920–25 for defs. 2, 3; from French interne “assistant doctor,” from Latin internus “inward”; see intern3
  • Sometimes in·terne .

Words Nearby intern

Other definitions for intern (2 of 3)

intern2
[ verb in-turn; noun in-turn ]

verb (used with object)
  1. to restrict to or confine within prescribed limits, as prisoners of war, enemy aliens, or combat troops who take refuge in a neutral country.

  2. to impound or hold within a country until the termination of a war, as a ship of a belligerent that has put into a neutral port and remained beyond a limited period.

noun
  1. a person who is or has been interned; internee.

Origin of intern

2
First recorded in 1865–70; from French interner “to send inland; confine,” verbal derivative of interne intern3

Other definitions for intern (3 of 3)

intern3
[ in-turn ]

adjectiveArchaic.

Origin of intern

3
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin internus “inward,” equivalent to inter- inter- + -nus adjective suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use intern in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for intern

intern

verb
  1. (ɪnˈtɜːn) (tr) to detain or confine (foreign or enemy citizens, ships, etc), esp during wartime

  2. (ˈɪntɜːn) (intr) mainly US to serve or train as an intern

noun(ˈɪntɜːn)
  1. another word for internee

  2. Also: interne med, US and Canadian a graduate in the first year of practical training after medical school, resident in a hospital and under supervision by senior doctors: British equivalent: house officer

  1. mainly US a student teacher

  2. mainly US a student or recent graduate receiving practical training in a working environment

adjective(ɪnˈtɜːn)
  1. an archaic word for internal

Origin of intern

1
C19: from Latin internus internal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012