internship
Americannoun
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the state or condition of being an intern.
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the period during which a person serves as an intern.
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any official or formal program to provide practical experience for beginners in an occupation or profession.
an internship for management trainees.
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a position as a participant in such a program.
She has accepted an internship in a law firm.
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any period of time during which a beginner acquires experience in an occupation, profession, or pursuit.
She had a long internship before starting her own recording studio.
noun
Etymology
Origin of internship
Explanation
An internship is a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training rather than merely employment, and it can be paid or unpaid. If you want to go into publishing, you might have to take an internship before you are qualified for an actual job. To intern means "to pass inside something," and when you have an internship, it's like you've temporarily gotten permission to be inside a workplace. If you're just completing your medical training, then the next stage is to get a medical internship, in which you are supervised by more experienced doctors. Sometimes your internship is part of your "residency," your first hospital job.
Vocabulary lists containing internship
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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.
This week we’re shining a spotlight on service-industry jobs — opportunities that can help you earn money, build experience and develop marketable skills, especially if you haven’t landed an internship or entry-level role.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
A temporary job, part-time work, freelance assignments or an internship can help you earn money and expand your network while you continue to scout for your forever career.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
After the internship, he became a script editor on pre-school animation JoJo & Gran Gran - while also working on his own writing projects for both the page and screen.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
His grandfather set him up with an internship at an investment firm.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
This summer, I have an internship at a bakery in Beacon Hill.
From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks
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.
