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• international
  international

  adjective

  between or among nations; involving two or more nations.
• International
  International

  noun

  any of several international socialist organizations See Comintern First International Labour and Socialist International Second International Socialist International Trotskyist International Vienna Union

international

American  

[in-ter-nash-uh-nl, -nash-nl] / ˌɪn tərˈnæʃ ə nl, -ˈnæʃ nl /

adjective

1. between or among nations; involving two or more nations.

   international trade.

2. of or relating to two or more nations or their citizens.

   a matter of international concern.

3. pertaining to the relations between nations.

   international law.

4. having members or activities in several nations.

   an international organization.

5. transcending national boundaries or viewpoints.

   an international benefit;

   an international reputation.

   Synonyms:

   cosmopolitan, worldwide

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noun

• internationals
  plural

1. (initial capital letter) any of several international socialist or communist organizations formed in the 19th and 20th centuries.

2. (sometimes initial capital letter) a labor union having locals in two or more countries.

3. an organization, enterprise, or group, especially a major business concern, having branches, dealings, or members in several countries.

4. an employee, especially an executive, assigned to work in a foreign country or countries by a business or organization that has branches or dealings in several countries.

international ¹ British  

/ ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, concerning, or involving two or more nations or nationalities

2. established by, controlling, or legislating for several nations

   an international court

   international fishing rights

3. available for use by all nations

   international waters

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noun

1. sport

   1. a contest between two national teams

   2. a member of these teams

International ² British  

/ ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl /

noun

1. any of several international socialist organizations See Comintern First International Labour and Socialist International Second International Socialist International Trotskyist International Vienna Union

2. a member of any of these organizations

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International Cultural  

1. An international organization of workers founded by Karl Marx (see also Marx) in the 1860s. Weakened by disputes, it was dissolved in 1876, but it was succeeded by three later Internationals, which sought to spread communism throughout the world. The most effective of these was the Third International, formed by the Soviet Union in 1919 and dissolved in 1943 by Joseph Stalin.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• internationality
  noun
• noninternational
  adjective
• pseudointernational
  adjective
• quasi-international
  adjective
• uninternational
  adjective
• internationally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• internationals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of international

First recorded in 1770–80; inter- + national

Explanation

International is an adjective that describes something that involves two or more countries, like international laws that multiple countries obey, or an international flight from France to Japan. Break international into two halves to understand its meaning. The first half is the prefix inter-, which means “among,” or “between.” In the second half, you can see the word nation. Put them together and the word literally means “among or between nations.” Driving from the United States into Canada is an international road trip since you travel from on nation to another, and an international conference has guests from all over the world.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

international International internationals

"We want to be part of the international community," emphasises Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, a founding member of the Taliban who now runs a madrasa for boys and girls on the outskirts of Kabul.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

"Therefore, investing in or owning an English football club provides a cheaper entry point with potential for a higher growth ceiling and more international reach."

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Driscoll, the chair of international staffing firm Magnit Global, supports a proposal that would require high earners to pay more into the system.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

"It's the product of years of work by a dedicated, international team of astronomers. We're excited to share DR20 with the world and see what the community discovers with it."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026

The same moralistic dichotomy that Jefferson saw inside the United States between discernible heroes and villains, he also projected into the international arena.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

In the first half of 2026, car sales in China fell more than 20% from the same year-earlier period, according to data from the International Energy Agency.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

A recent online search showed that a one-way Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in September cost $168.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Hichilema's administration has since secured a landmark debt restructuring deal, restored an International Monetary Fund programme and returned the economy to a growth path, winning praise from international lenders and investors.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

SIM International said he would soon be reunited with his wife, their children and his extended family.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

She works at the ticketing counter for a big airline at Philadelphia International Airport.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

Turner, who was born in South Africa, represented England in two one-day internationals and two T20 games at the end of 2024 during their tour of the West Indies.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The actions of the Argentina players on the pitch were heavily criticised by former England internationals.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Head coach Tandy has finished his first season in charge with nine defeats and three wins in 12 internationals with those victories coming against Italy, Fiji and Japan.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Christopher Hall, a director in the international tax group at PKF O’Connor Davies, said the tax complications for football internationals can be head-spinning.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

Many of the internationals understand the trauma of trying to get an American visa and that is a good place to start a friendship.”

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• foreign
• global
• universal