intrinsically
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of intrinsically
First recorded in 1545–55; intrinsic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )
Explanation
Use the adverb intrinsically to describe things that are a vital, important, or natural part of something. For example, great teachers are intrinsically associated with a great school. Something that is intrinsic is an essential part of a whole, so intrinsically describes something closely connected to or inseparable from something. For example, if you believe people are intrinsically good, you think goodness is a part of being human. The Latin root is intrinsecus, which means "inwardly, on the inside."
Vocabulary lists containing intrinsically
George Washington's Farewell Address (1796)
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Freakonomics
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167 Vocabulary words from the Supreme Court's DOMA Decision
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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.
In Grimes County, Egyed says she’s aware it’s no longer possible to stop the project from going forward—and she and many others are not intrinsically against development in the community.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
“Ultimately, we are trying to pay homage to the bus tour format, which is intrinsically ‘carny,’” Misraje said, likening himself to a carnival barker espousing aesthetic philosophy aboard an ever-changing “Ship of Theseus.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
"It was an odd feeling to feel positive about an acknowledgement of something that was so intrinsically negative," she says.
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
A ballroom is an intrinsically public, celebratory structure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026
If he had known that Sirius was intrinsically brighter than the Sun, he would have come up with almost exactly the right answer: Sirius is 8.8 light-years away.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
