internal

[in-tur-nl] /ɪnˈtɜr nl/

adjective

situated or existing in the interior of something; interior.

of, pertaining 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 pertaining 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

10.

Usually, internals. entrails; innards.

11.

an inner or intrinsic attribute.

Origin

1500-10; < Medieval Latin internālis, equivalent to Latin intern(us) intern³ + ālis -al¹

Related forms

internality, internalness, noun

internally, adverb

quasi-internal, adjective

quasi-internally, adverb

semi-internal, adjective

semi-internally, adverb

subinternal, adjective

subinternally, adverb

Can be confused

extraneous, external, extrinsic, internal, intrinsic.

Examples from the web for internal

The inner workings of an internal combustion engine have rarely been seen as clearly, or as entertainingly.
Auditors themselves say they have toughened their standards and beefed up internal controls.
Any tumor may compress regions of the brain and increase internal pressure, upsetting the organ's delicate functional balance.
Evidence of reproduction by internal fertilization has been discovered in a large group of ancient jawed fish.
The exposed internal structure was compact, uniform, and smooth.
The decision to move to internal fetal monitoring is based on the information first obtained by external fetal monitoring.
Their shared sense of distinction from secular public-school systems tends to mask such internal distinctions.
The internal discipline is brought about by the demands of shareholders.
Since the lungs process air, they are the only internal organs that are constantly exposed to the external environment.
Cold fusion is nonsense, and the internal combustion engine will be with us for a long time to come.

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

internality, internalness, noun
internally, adverb

Word Origin

C16: from Medieval Latin internālis, from Late Latin internus inward

Word Origin and History for internal

adj.

early 15c., from Medieval Latin internalis, from Latin internus "within, inward, internal," figuratively "domestic," expanded from pre-Latin *interos, *interus "on the inside, inward," from PIE *en-ter- (cf. Old Church Slavonic anter, Sanskrit antar "within, between," Old High German unter "between," and the "down" sense of Old English under); suffixed (comparative) form of *en "in" (see in). Meaning "of or pertaining to the domestic affairs of a country (e.g. internal revenue) is from 1795. Internal combustion first recorded 1884. Related: Internally.

internal in Medicine

internal in·ter·nal (ĭn-tûr'nəl)
adj.

Located, acting, or effective within the body.
Of, relating to, or located within the limits or surface; inner.

Slang definitions & phrases for internal

body packer

noun phrase

: These ''internals'' or ''body packers'' swallow heroin encased in condoms or other packaging, disgorging their contraband to drug dealers, if they are not killed by leaking packages first (1990s+ Narcotics)

internal

Related Terms

body packer