# NIH

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nih
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. US medical agency

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

Stands for National Institutes of Health. This is the main US government agency responsible for biomedical and public health research.

For teachers: Abbreviation for National Institutes of Health. A primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research, consisting of 27 separate institutes and centers.

- The NIH provided a large grant to the university to study heart disease.
- Researchers funded by the NIH have made significant breakthroughs in genomic sequencing over the last decade.

Usage: Usually preceded by 'the' when referring to the agency.

### 2. not invented here

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical · Informal

Stands for 'not invented here'. You use this to describe a group that refuses to use good ideas just because they didn't think of them first.

For teachers: Abbreviation for 'not invented here'. Used to describe a corporate or institutional culture that avoids using products, research, or knowledge from external sources due to internal bias.

- The company failed because of its NIH attitude toward new technology from rivals.
- The engineering department's NIH syndrome prevented them from adopting a more efficient third-party software solution.

Usage: Often used to modify nouns like 'syndrome', 'attitude', or 'bias'.

Teaching tip: This is a common piece of business and engineering jargon; it is almost always used as a criticism of a company's culture.

## Examples

- The NIH provides money for many medical studies.
- Researchers applied for a grant from the NIH to study the long-term effects of the new virus.
- As the world's largest public funder of biomedical research, the NIH plays a critical role in translating basic laboratory discoveries into clinical applications that improve human health.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.