intrinsic
pronunciation
How to pronounce intrinsic in British English:
UK [ɪnˈtrɪnzɪk , ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk]
How to pronounce intrinsic in American English:
US [ɪnˈtrɪnzɪk , ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk]
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- Adjective:
- belonging to a thing by its very nature
- situated within or belonging solely to the organ or body part on which it acts
Word Origin
- intrinsic
- intrinsic: [15] The Latin adverb intrinsecus meant ‘on the inside’. It was formed from *intrim ‘inward’, an unrecorded derivative of the adverb intrā ‘within’, and secus ‘alongside’ (a relative of English second, sect, sequel, etc). In the post-classical period it came to be used as an adjective, meaning ‘inward’, and it passed into Old French as intrinseque ‘inner, internal’.This general concrete sense accompanied the word into English, but it now survives only as an anatomical term, meaning ‘situated within a body part’. The abstract sense ‘inherent’, now the adjective’s main meaning, developed in the 17th century. The derivation of the antonym extrinsic [16] is precisely parallel, with Latin extrā ‘outside’ taking the place of intrā.=> extrinsic, second, sect, sequel
- intrinsic (adj.)
- late 15c., "interior, inward, internal," from Middle French intrinsèque "inner" (13c.), from Medieval Latin intrinsecus "interior, internal," from Latin intrinsecus (adv.) "inwardly, on the inside," from intra "within" (see intra-) + secus "alongside," originally "following" (related to sequi "to follow;" see sequel). Meaning "belonging to the nature of a thing" is from 1640s. Related: Intrinsicly.
Antonym
Example
- 1. Intrinsic reinforcement occurs when the act is reinforcing .
- 2. The first one is intrinsic hunger cues .
- 3. Another intrinsic part of the foundations must be better governance of banks .
- 4. Each of us brings a unique skill set and intrinsic value to the job marketplace .
- 5. Taking advantage of the intrinsic romance in cute things obviously depends upon recognizing which things are cute .