internal

B1 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ɪnˈtɜɹ.nəl/ UK /ɪnˈtɜː.nəl/ See IPA manual

adj Freq #3741

Meanings

1

adj
on or relating to the inside of something.

The doctor examined his internal organs.
2

adj
happening inside an organization or country, not outside it.

The company is dealing with an internal dispute between two departments.
3

adj
felt in your mind rather than shown openly.

She kept her internal feelings hidden from everyone.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · on or relating to the... interior

2 adj · happening inside an... home nationalintragroup

3 adj · felt in your mind rather... intimate

More inlyinner interninterne

Opposites

exterior external

Word family

Forms internals

Derived forms antero-internalanterointernaldorsointernalinternaliseinternalisminternalistinternalisticinternalityinternalizationinternalizeinternallyinternalness

Etymology

From Middle English internall, internalle, borrowing from New Latin internālis (“of or pertaining to the inner part”), from internus (“inward, internal”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). By surface analysis, intern + -al.

internall, internalle Middle English internālis la-new

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

# internal

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ɪnˈtɜɹ.nəl
**IPA (UK):** ɪnˈtɜː.nəl
**Frequency rank:** 3741

## Meanings
1. on or relating to the inside of something.
2. happening inside an organization or country, not outside it.
3. felt in your mind rather than shown openly.

## Examples
- The doctor examined his internal organs.
- The company is dealing with an internal dispute between two departments.
- She kept her internal feelings hidden from everyone.

## Synonyms
- inly
- inner
- interior
- intern
- interne

## Antonyms
- exterior
- external

## Derived Forms
- antero-internal
- anterointernal
- dorsointernal
- internalise
- internalism
- internalist
- internalistic
- internality
- internalization
- internalize
- internally
- internalness

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: internall, internalle
- Root: internālis

## Etymology
From Middle English internall, internalle, borrowing from New Latin internālis (“of or pertaining to the inner part”), from internus (“inward, internal”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). By surface analysis, intern + -al.

## AI Etymology
Internal comes from Middle English internall, internalle, borrowing from New Latin internālis (“of or pertaining to the inner part”), from internus (“inward, internal”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). By surface analysis, intern + -al. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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