intern

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈɪntɜrn/ UK /ˈɪntɜːn/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a trainee gaining supervised practical experience; to confine as a prisoner

She worked as an intern at the hospital over the summer.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a trainee gaining... trainee apprenticeprobationerconfine detain imprison

Opposites

release free liberate

Word family

Derived forms internshipinterneeinternment

Related forms internal interior internecine

Etymology

From French interne ('internal, inmate'), from Latin internus ('internal, within'). The detention sense and the trainee sense both develop from the notion of being kept within an institution.

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# intern

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɪntɜrn/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɪntɜːn/

## Meanings
1. a trainee gaining supervised practical experience; to confine as a prisoner

## Examples
- She worked as an intern at the hospital over the summer.

## Synonyms
- trainee
- apprentice
- probationer
- confine
- detain
- imprison

## Antonyms
- release
- free
- liberate

## Derived Forms
- internship
- internee
- internment

## Related Forms
- internal
- interior
- internecine

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: internus

## Etymology
From French interne ('internal, inmate'), from Latin internus ('internal, within'). The detention sense and the trainee sense both develop from the notion of being kept within an institution.

## AI Etymology
Intern comes from French interne ('internal, inmate'), from Latin internus ('internal, within'). The detention sense and the trainee sense both develop from the notion of being kept within an institution. The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun and verb, it denotes "a trainee gaining supervised practical experience; to confine as a prisoner", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin internus. Derivative forms include internship, internee, internment; related words include internal, interior, internecine.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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