integral

1 of 2

adjective

in·​te·​gral

(usually so in mathematics)

ˈin-ti-grəl  in-ˈte-grəl 

 also  -ˈtē-,

 also nonstandard  ˈin-trə-gəl

1

a

: essential to completeness : constituent

an integral part of the curriculum

b(1)

: being, containing, or relating to one or more mathematical integers

(2)

: relating to or concerned with mathematical integration or the results of mathematical integration

c

: formed as a unit with another part

a seat with integral headrest

2

: composed of constituent parts

3

: lacking nothing essential : entire

integrality

ˌin-tə-ˈgra-lə-tē 

noun

integrally

ˈin-ti-grə-lē 

in-ˈte-grə-

 also  -ˈtē-

adverb

integral

2 of 2

noun

in·​te·​gral ˈin-ti-grəl 

: the result of a mathematical integration compare definite integral, indefinite integral

Synonyms

Adjective

• intrinsic
• inherent
• essential

Examples of integral in a Sentence

Adjective

I do know that shoot-'em-ups (and saw-'em-ups) are likely to remain part of our lives, and that suggests a depressing idea: Maybe the love of violence is an integral part of human nature … —Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Oct. 2007

Stuffed with peanut butter, celery is the quintessential after-school snack; diced, it provides an essential crunch to chicken and potato salads; buttered up, it is an integral part of Thanksgiving stuffing. —Sara Dickerman, New York Times Magazine, 3 Sept. 2006

Sitting out on the grass … watching the freight trains roll by on the levee at two in the morning, drinking a beer and listening to the music drifting out of the club, is an integral part of the whole experience. —Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005

She had become an integral part of their lives.

a car dealer respected for his integral honesty and straightforwardness with customers

Noun

The main tools used in the study of these functions are those we have already discussed: representation as integrals, power-series expansions, and differential equations. —Robert S. Strichartz, The Way of Analysis, 2000

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Waller had grown to be an integral cog to the Dolphins’ offense during his four-game stint in the aqua and orange. —Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025

Soon after, Putin decided that soft power should be an integral component of domestic politics too. —Tetiana Kotelnykova, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025

Noun

This method gave the group a rough estimate of the entire world population without having to resort to complicated calculation methods such as integrals. —Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2025

Imagine calculating every possible way billions of Lego bricks could fit together – that’s the scale of complexity physicists face when evaluating the configurational integral. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see integer

Noun

see integer

First Known Use

Adjective

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing integral

• definite integral
• improper integral
• indefinite integral
• integral calculus
• integral domain
• Riemann integral

Kids Definition

integral

adjective

in·​te·​gral

ˈint-i-grəl (,

 usually so in mathematics  );

in-ˈteg-rəl,

 also  -ˈtēg-

1

: needed for completeness

a lens is an integral part of a camera

2

: of or relating to an integer

9 is an integral factor of 72

3

: made up of components that together make a whole

an integral locking system

4

: lacking nothing essential : entire

integrally

ˈint-i-grə-lē;

in-ˈteg-rə-

 also  -ˈtēg-

adverb