internal

[ in-tur-nl ]

/ ɪnˈtɜr nl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR internal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

situated or existing in the interior of something; interior.

of, relating to, or noting the inside or inner part.

Pharmacology. oral(def 4).

existing, occurring, or found within the limits or scope of something; intrinsic: a theory having internal logic.

of or relating to the domestic affairs of a country: the internal politics of a nation.

existing solely within the individual mind: internal malaise.

coming from, produced, or motivated by the psyche or inner recesses of the mind; subjective: an internal response.

Anatomy, Zoology. inner; not superficial; away from the surface or next to the axis of the body or of a part: the internal carotid artery.

present or occurring within an organism or one of its parts: an internal organ.

noun

Usually internals. entrails; innards.

an inner or intrinsic attribute.

Nearby words

intermural, intermuscular gluteal bursa, intermuscular septum, intermutule, intern, internal, internal acoustic pore, internal adhesive pericarditis, internal audit, internal auditory artery, internal auditory foramen

Origin of internal

1500–10; < Medieval Latin internālis, equivalent to Latin intern(us) intern³ + ālis -al¹

Related forms

in·ter·nal·i·ty, in·ter·nal·ness, nounin·ter·nal·ly, adverbqua·si-in·ter·nal, adjectivequa·si-in·ter·nal·ly, adverb

sem·i-in·ter·nal, adjectivesem·i-in·ter·nal·ly, adverbsub·in·ter·nal, adjectivesub·in·ter·nal·ly, adverb

Can be confused

extraneous external extrinsic internal intrinsic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for internal

The result was a system not open to alternatives from the outside and with no internal incentives for innovation.
Your Local School Doesn’t Have to Suck|Michael S. Roth|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What is much more important than these numbers is an internal dynamic for which there are no statistics.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 2012, an internal Canadian government report called for the consolidation of these forces.
Terrorist Ends Canada’s Innocence|Tim Mak|October 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rick has no internal conflict about what is morally right and what is wrong.
Andrew Lincoln Wants Rick to End With Johnny Cash and the Sunset|Melissa Leon|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The text is peppered with internal rhymes and repeated letter combos.
Well, La Ti Da: Stephin Merritt’s Winning Little Words of Scrabble|David Bukszpan|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And perhaps for her it wore the greater dignity from her vague idea of its internal workings.
Wheat and Huckleberries|Charlotte Marion (White) Vaile
There seems to have been then only one climate over the whole globe, caused, no doubt, by the internal heat of the earth.
Gospel Philosophy|J. H. Ward
Another conjecture is, that they have been thrown up by earthquakes, and are the effect of internal convulsions of the globe.
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18)|Robert Kerr
The internal effect, which the height might have made very striking, is not equal to the external outline.
Sketches of Travel in Normandy and Maine|Edward A. Freeman
With these forces against each other the internal fight continued more bitter than ever.
Germany, The Next Republic?|Carl W. Ackerman

British Dictionary definitions for internal

internal

/ (ɪnˈtɜːnəl) /

adjective

of, situated on, or suitable for the inside; inner

coming or acting from within; interior

involving the spiritual or mental life; subjective

of or involving a nation's domestic as opposed to foreign affairs

education denoting assessment by examiners who are employed at the candidate's place of study

situated within, affecting, or relating to the inside of the body

noun

a medical examination of the vagina, uterus, or rectum

Derived Forms

internality or internalness, nouninternally, adverb

Word Origin for internal

C16: from Medieval Latin internālis, from Late Latin internus inward

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

Medicine definitions for internal

internal

[ ĭn-tûr′nəl ]

adj.

Located, acting, or effective within the body.

Of, relating to, or located within the limits or surface; inner.

internal

adjective

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of internal

Related forms

Can be confused

Examples from the Web for internal

British Dictionary definitions for internal

internal

adjective

noun

Derived Forms

Word Origin for internal

Medicine definitions for internal

internal

adj.