internal

adjective

in·​ter·​nal in-ˈtər-nᵊl How to pronounce internal (audio)
ˈin-ˌtər-
1
: existing or situated within the limits or surface of something: such as
a(1)
: situated near the inside of the body
(2)
: situated on the side toward the median plane of the body
b
: of, relating to, or occurring on the inside of an organized structure (such as a club, company, or state)
internal affairs
2
: relating or belonging to or existing within the mind
3
: intrinsic, inherent
internal evidence of forgery in a document
4
: present or arising within an organism or one of its parts
internal stimulus
5
: applied or intended for application through the stomach by being swallowed
an internal remedy
internality noun
internally adverb

Examples of internal in a Sentence

the internal structure of the planet a patient who is experiencing internal bleeding
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The child was found by her mother three hours later, with internal vehicle temperatures having reached over 108 degrees. Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025 Enclose with your contribution the donor’s address with city, state and ZIP code for internal processing, a notation of whether the donation should remain anonymous, and/or whether the donation is in the memory of someone special. La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025 Paint will degrade over time in unregulated temperatures, especially as weather fluctuates for the seasons, and electronics will collect condensation in their circuit boards, internal pieces, and electrical equipment—all of which will cause warping and corrosion over time. Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2025 Payroll-processing giant ADP quietly stopped sharing its internal data with the central bank in late August, leaving Fed economists without a real-time measure that had covered about one-fifth of the nation’s private workforce. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for internal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English internalle, from Latin internus; akin to Latin inter between

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of internal was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Internal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/internal. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

internal

adjective
in·​ter·​nal in-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce internal (audio)
1
: existing or lying within : inner
internal structure
2
: relating to, occurring, or located in the body
3
: of, relating to, or occurring on the inside of an organized structure (as a company or state)
internal affairs
internally adverb

Medical Definition

internal

adjective
in·​ter·​nal in-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce internal (audio)
1
: existing or situated within the limits or surface of something: as
a
: situated near the inside of the body
an internal layer of abdominal muscle
b
: situated on the side toward the midsagittal plane of the body
the internal surface of the lung
2
: present or arising within an organism or one of its parts
an internal stimulus
3
: applied or intended for application through the stomach by being swallowed
an internal remedy
internally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on internal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!