internal

[ in-tur-nl ]

/ ɪnˈtɜr nl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: internal / internals 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.

OPPOSITES FOR internal

1, 2 external.

See antonyms for internal on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of internal

First recorded in 1500–10; from Medieval Latin internālis, equivalent to Latin intern(us) intern³ + ālis -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM internal

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

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH internal

inherent, internal , intrinsic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use internal in a sentence

Nasdaq delisted Luckin in July after Luckin revealed in April that an internal investigation had uncovered substantial sales fraud.
China search giant Baidu inked a $3.6 billion deal for a live-streaming platform. Then came the fraud claims|Naomi Xu Elegant|November 19, 2020|Fortune
A suburban drug investigation — not a Baltimore police internal affairs complaint — ultimately brought them down.
Baltimore approves more than $10 million in new police settlements|Justin Fenton|November 18, 2020|Washington Post
Despite all the internal upgrades, the new MBA looks and feels exactly like its older sibling.
Apple’s M1 chip makes the new MacBook Air shockingly good|Stan Horaczek|November 18, 2020|Popular-Science
It doesn’t have an optical drive and the internal hardware isn’t as fast, but it retails for $299.
The Xbox Series X offers killer gaming—if your TV can handle it|Stan Horaczek|November 11, 2020|Popular-Science

Founded by Tade Oyerinde in 2018, Campuswire is a virtual solution for any teacher who wants to digitize their internal classroom communications, from Q&A time to the lecture itself.
As edtech crowds up, Campuswire bets big on real-time learning|Natasha Mascarenhas|November 11, 2020|TechCrunch
Even internally in the House, women are not getting their fair shake.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
However useful they might be for external purposes, they will always be dangerous internally.
Pakistan’s Dance With Terrorists Just Backfired and Killed 132 Children|Chris Allbritton|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
WoodRocket pays for everything featured on the site, either by producing it internally, or licensing it.
Inside the Greatest Porn Parody Factory: From ‘Game of Bones’ to ‘The Humper Games’|Gabriella Paiella|November 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That announcement dealt a huge blow to our morale internally and to the case that we made to minority voters externally.
The Valerie Jarrett I Know: How She Saved the Obama Campaign and Why She’s Indispensable|Joshua DuBois|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She is an internally displaced woman who fled her home in Gbatala Bong County due to the high deaths from the Ebola outbreak.
Ebola Is Destroying Liberia’s Vaccination Program|Wade C.L. Williams|November 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is internally evident that the letter was commenced January 22nd, and finished "vltimo die Januar."
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
"She may be hurt internally," spoke up Matt, feeling a pang of pity as he looked at the pale little face.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews
Taken internally, camphor is a nerve stimulant, a diaphoretic and a feeble antipyretic.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 2|Various
Still more yellow than usual, Hemerlingue internally accused himself of clumsiness and imprudence.
The Nabob|Alphonse Daudet
It is a very humble, plain-looking edifice externally; and internally it is equally unassuming.
Our Churches and Chapels|Atticus

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 of internal

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

internal

OPPOSITES FOR internal

Origin of internal

OTHER WORDS FROM internal

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH internal

Words related to internal

How to use internal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for internal

Derived forms of internal

Word Origin for internal