built-in

[bilt-in] /ˈbɪltˌɪn/
adjective
1.
built so as to be an integral and permanent part of a larger construction:
The wall has a built-in bookcase.
2.
existing as a natural or characteristic part of something; inherent:
a built-in contempt for daydreaming.
noun
3.
a built-in piece of furniture or appliance.
4.
an additional feature or capability, as of a machine or a service:
a car with power steering, power brakes, and other built-ins.
Origin
1895-1900
Examples from the web for built-in
  • Rove's books fill row after row of built-in shelves in his house.
  • The built-in cast-iron handles make it easy to pull out of the oven with pot holders.
  • There were built-in barriers and structure that stood in the way of our current chaotic eating.
  • The technical device of a built-in exit might be superseded by the political reality of a built-in escalation.
  • The effectiveness of all this built-in logic is borne out in the test drive.
British Dictionary definitions for built-in

built-in

adjective
1.
made or incorporated as an integral part: a built-in cupboard, a built-in escape clause
2.
essential; inherent
noun
3.
(Austral) a built-in cupboard or wardrobe
built-in in Technology


(Or "primitive") A built-in function or operator is one provided by the lowest level of a language implementation. This usually means it is not possible (or efficient) to express it in the language itself. Typical examples are the basic arithmetic and Boolean operators (in C syntax: +, -, *, /, %, !, &&, ||), bit manipulation operators (~, &, |, ^) and I/O primitives. Other common functions may be provided in libraries but are not built-in if they are written in the language being implemented.
(1995-02-14)