Word
internal
Phoneticsin·ter·nal, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈtɝnəɫ/
UK/ɪntˈɜːnəl/
Definitions
01inside the body
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine
adj. located inside the body of a person or animal.
adj. situated within the body or an organism; often used in medical or biological contexts.
“The doctor was worried about internal bleeding after the accident.”
“The surgeon performed a laparoscopy to examine the patient's internal organs for signs of chronic inflammation.”
Usage
Commonly used with nouns like 'organs', 'bleeding', or 'injuries'.
Antonyms
02inside an organization
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
adj. happening within a company, group, or country rather than outside it.
adj. relating to the domestic affairs of a country or the inner workings of an organization.
日本語:内部※
“The company sent an internal memo to all employees about the new rules.”
“The ministry launched an internal investigation to determine how the confidential documents were leaked to the press.”
Usage
Frequently modifies 'affairs', 'memo', 'audit', or 'market'.
Synonyms
03inside the mind
C1 · Advanced Academic
adj. existing in your mind and not shown to other people.
adj. experienced or existing within the mind; not expressed or apparent to observers.
“She had a long internal struggle before deciding to quit her job.”
“The protagonist's internal monologue reveals a deep-seated insecurity that is never voiced to the other characters.”
Teaching tip
This sense is common in literature and psychology to describe thoughts or feelings that remain private.
04inner nature
C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal
adj. relating to the basic nature or qualities of something.
adj. relating to the intrinsic nature or constitution of a thing.
“The report looked at the internal logic of the government's plan.”
“The philosopher argued that the system lacked internal consistency, pointing out several fundamental contradictions in its premises.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “internal” in context.
Adjective
01. internal communication
“Effective internal communication is essential for maintaining employee morale.”
adj + noun
02. internal consistency
“The researcher checked the internal consistency of the survey questions.”
adj + noun
03. internal force
“The bridge collapsed due to an unexpected internal force within the steel beams.”
adj + noun
04. internal mechanism
“Scientists are studying the internal mechanism that regulates the body's clock.”
adj + noun
05. internal organisation
“The new manager decided to restructure the internal organisation of the department.”
adj + noun
06. internal procedure
“The company updated its internal procedure for handling customer complaints.”
adj + noun
07. internal process
“We need to streamline our internal process to reduce production delays.”
adj + noun
08. internal reliability
“The test showed high internal reliability, meaning the results were stable.”
adj + noun
09. internal representation
“The brain creates an internal representation of the surrounding environment.”
adj + noun
10. internal source
“The journalist obtained the leaked documents from an internal source.”
adj + noun
11. internal structure
“X-rays allow doctors to see the internal structure of a patient's bones.”
adj + noun
12. internal validity
“The experiment lacked internal validity because the variables were not controlled.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“The state faces internal security and economic challenges.” “Like Spain, Portugal is part of the Schengen Area, which means that it has no internal borders and that the free movement of people, goods and services is permitted.” Etymology
From Middle English internall, internalle, borrowing from New Latin internālis (“of or pertaining to the inner part”), from internus (“inward, internal”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix). By surface analysis, intern + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/internal
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0