built-in
Americanadjective
-
built so as to be an integral and permanent part of a larger construction.
The wall has a built-in bookcase.
-
existing as a natural or characteristic part of something; inherent.
a built-in contempt for daydreaming.
noun
-
a built-in piece of furniture or appliance.
-
an additional feature or capability, as of a machine or a service.
a car with power steering, power brakes, and other built-ins.
adjective
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made or incorporated as an integral part
a built-in cupboard
a built-in escape clause
-
essential; inherent
noun
Etymology
Origin of built-in
First recorded in 1895–1900
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The device operates like a mobile phone mast in space, using a constellation of satellites to communicate with small dishes on the ground with a built-in WiFi router.
From BBC
The company has a built-in advantage in the race to do so because so many customers already use its software, Goldman Sachs said.
From Barron's
He already knew that biological polymers contain small built-in chemical features that help their bonds break apart at the right moment.
From Science Daily
These radioactive elements decay at known rates, effectively acting as a built-in clock that reveals when the eggs were buried.
From Science Daily
Previously the company has said it had made real changes to Instagram, such as introducing teen accounts with built-in protections and giving parents the power to control their children's online experiences.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
