introvert
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.someone who is quiet and gets their energy from spending time alone rather than with large groups of people.
n.a person whose personality is characterized by introversion, typically preferring solitary activities to social ones and finding large gatherings draining.
Simple“As an introvert, Mark usually needs a quiet evening at home after a busy week at the office.”
In context“Psychologists suggest that an introvert may possess high levels of emotional intelligence, even if they appear reserved in professional networking environments.”
PitfallHe is a very introvert person. He is a very introverted person.Use the adjective 'introverted' to describe a person's character before a noun, and the noun 'introvert' to label the person themselves.
- 02 C1 Advanced
v.to turn something inside out or move it toward the inside.
v.to turn a part or organ inward or inside out; to direct one's thoughts or interests toward oneself.
Simple“The doctor explained how the muscle can introvert under certain types of physical stress.”
In context“The patient tended to introvert his frustrations rather than discussing them with his therapist, leading to increased internal tension.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a part of an animal's body, like a worm's head, that can pull back inside itself.
n.an anterior portion of certain invertebrates, such as sipunculid worms, that can be retracted or turned inside out.
Simple“The worm pulled its introvert back into its body when it felt a vibration in the soil.”
In context“The researcher observed the rapid retraction of the organism's introvert as a defensive response to the chemical stimulus in the water.”
“For example, an introvert might feel that an idea is very clear in their head, but when they try to explain it to someone else, the other person doesn't get it.”
From New Latin intrōvertere, from intro- (“within”) and vertere (“to turn”). Popularized as a psychological term by the German works of Carl Jung. By surface analysis, intro- + -vert.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.