inner

[in-er]

adjective

1. situated within or farther within; interior.

   an inner door.

2. more intimate, private, or secret.

   the inner workings of the organization.

3. of or relating to the mind or spirit; mental; spiritual.

   the inner life.

4. not obvious; hidden or obscure.

   an inner meaning.

5. noting or relating to an aspect of a person's mind or personality that has not been fully discovered, revealed, or expressed.

   a place where anyone can find their inner artist regardless of skill level.

inner

/ ˈɪnə /

adjective

1. being or located further inside

   an inner room

2. happening or occurring inside

   inner movement

3. relating to the soul, mind, spirit, etc

   inner feelings

4. more profound or obscure; less apparent

   the inner meaning

5. exclusive or private

   inner regions of the party

6. chem (of a compound) having a cyclic structure formed or apparently formed by reaction of one functional group in a molecule with another group in the same molecule

   an inner ester

noun

1. Also called: red. archery

   1. the red innermost ring on a target

   2. a shot which hits this ring

Other Word Forms

• innerly adverb
• innerness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inner¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English innera, comparative based on the adv. inne within, inside; inmost , -er ⁴

Example Sentences

At the temple, Prapakaran, the software engineer, walked 11 circles around the inner sanctum, part of the ritual for currying favor with the Visa God.

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His teacher guided him to imagine the movement of his organs, blood and inner body.

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They also exaggerate the fear that is already there, especially in characters repressing their inner demons.

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Maverick Carter, a longtime friend and business partner of both James and Schottenstein who runs an entertainment company, describes meeting Schottenstein as “a young African-American kid from the inner city of Akron, Ohio.”

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Even his inner circle has been intimidated by his strategy of entrusting command of the army to his closest associates and giving Israeli operatives the job of training elite troops and his personal security detail.

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