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intrinsic Definition

in·trin·sic (in trin′sik, -zik)

adjective

  1. belonging to the real nature of a thing; not dependent on external circumstances; essential; inherent
  2. Anat. located within, or exclusively of, a part

Etymology: LME intrinsique < MFr intrinsèque < LL intrinsecus, inward < L, inwardly < intra-, within (see intra-) + secus, following: see extrinsic

intrinsic Related Forms

in·trin′·si·cally adverb in·trin′·si·cal·ness noun

intrinsic Synonyms

intrinsic

modif.

essential, central, natural; see fundamental 1, inherent.

intrinsic Usage Examples

Infinitive complement

work: Fix CHMOD intrinsic to work with file names that have embedded blanks, commas, and so on.

Modifies a noun

  • subroutine: To end event synchronous control, an event must be released using intrinsic subroutine PEFREE.
  • motivation: There is a high level of intrinsic motivation in students studying design.
  • dimensionality: The intrinsic dimensionality of the data is said to be two ( as all the information actually resides in a two-dimensional sub-space ).
  • merit: Actions were to be judged by their consequences not on their intrinsic merits.
  • coercivity: Uniquely among permanent magnet materials, the intrinsic coercivity of ferrite decreases as the temperature falls.
  • brightness: The period of the pulsation pattern is directly related to the star's intrinsic brightness.

Modifying Another Word

  • so: Nor does Habermas take into account the claim to power so intrinsic to claims to rationality ( Calhoun, 1992: 304-6 ).
  • not: The motivation for learning is extrinsic, provided by the reinforcement schedule, not intrinsic, deriving from the pupil.
  • only: They operate in international markets where only intrinsic product quality can achieve a premium.
  • little: Artifacts of little intrinsic, but huge cultural value may be discarded by future generations out of touch with their root culture.
  • either: Typically either intrinsic, extrinsic or both parameters are altered.
  • almost: The Greek armies haply practiced self sacrifice of some for others; it is almost intrinsic to battle.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: By the mid-nineteenth century a formalized ' abstract time ' had become intrinsic to most people's lives.
  • consider: Such activities are considered intrinsic to the production of fossil fuels.
  • have: For example, a sorted vector, or a balanced tree has intrinsic ordering.
  • remain: Having been a research scientist in a previous existence, observation and attention to detail remain intrinsic to Durrant's work.
  • scatter: CMS corrects for large angle scattering intrinsic in the HEAO-2 mirror.