intrinsic

adjective

in·​trin·​sic in-ˈtrin-zik  -ˈtrin(t)-sik 

1

a

: belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing : occurring as a natural part of something

the intrinsic worth of the company

the intrinsic brightness of a star

Yet there's also an intrinsic understanding between the actors, who like to pick up each other's trains of thought and seamlessly steam ahead.

—Thomas Floyd

Beyond their intrinsic value, there's a strong emotional aspect to these small and special adornments.

—Laird Borrelli-Persson

b

: being or relating to a semiconductor in which the concentration of charge carriers is characteristic of the material itself instead of the content of any impurities it contains

2

a

: originating or due to causes within a body, organ, or part

an intrinsic metabolic disease

b

: originating and included wholly within an organ or part

intrinsic muscles

compare extrinsic sense 1b

Synonyms of intrinsic

• inherent
• integral
• essential

Examples of intrinsic in a Sentence

He is the ideal courtier. His nobility is intrinsic, and so he can drape himself in this purple cloak of tasteful modernity, make a cocktail of past and present, the cream of both. —Noah Charney, The Art Thief, 2007

Subatomic particles have an intrinsic orientation known as spin, which can point in one of two directions, conventionally called "up" and "down." —Abraham Loeb, Scientific American, November 2006

Yet despite the digital culture's endless celebrations of diversity … there is a certain mindless repetition intrinsic to the Internet, where ideas and software multiply a thousandfold with one click; where the lure of wider communication drives users toward an ultimate "interoperability" and, hence, toward an ultimate uniformity. —Julian Dibbell, Harper's, August 2001

the intrinsic value of a gem

the intrinsic brightness of a star

Recent Examples on the Web

Why does empty space still have a non-zero amount of energy — dark energy, or a cosmological constant — intrinsic to it? —Big Think, 7 May 2026

Leaders would also do well to better understand human motivation — people’s intrinsic drivers, not just their feelings — to design strategies that minimize negative reactions and maximize engagement with ideas, not to mention to drive more successful change initiatives. —David Rock, Fortune, 6 May 2026

By introducing only mild restrictions to molecular transport, the inflow of reactants into the hollow cavity can be aligned more effectively with the intrinsic processing rate of the catalyst. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026

What Mason and Jayadev argue is that no, money does not represent something real about the world (like value or time), and is not, in fact, a legitimate measure of intrinsic worth. —Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French intrinsèque internal, from Late Latin intrinsecus, from Latin, adverb, inwardly; akin to Latin intra within — more at intra-

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing intrinsic

• intrinsic factor

Rhymes for intrinsic

• extrinsic

Kids Definition

intrinsic

adjective

in·​trin·​sic in-ˈtrin-zik 

-ˈtrin(t)-sik

: belonging to the essential nature of a thing

the intrinsic value of a gem

intrinsically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

intrinsic

adjective

in·​trin·​sic in-ˈtrin-zik  -ˈtrin(t)-sik 

1

: originating or due to causes or factors within a body, organ, or part

intrinsic asthma

2

: originating and included wholly within an organ or part

—used especially of certain muscles

the cricothyroid is an intrinsic muscle of the larynx

compare extrinsic sense 2

Legal Definition

intrinsic

adjective

in·​trin·​sic in-ˈtrin-zik, -sik 

: belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing