adj.
Pronunciation: in- ' trin-zik, - ' trin(t)-sik
Function: adjective
Etymology: French intrinsèque internal, from Late Latin intrinsecus, from Latin, adverb, inwardly; akin to Latin intra within ― more at INTRA-
Date: 1635
1 a : belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing <the intrinsic worth of a gem> <the intrinsic brightness of a star> b : being or relating to a semiconductor in which the concentration of charge carriers is characteristic of the material itself instead of the content of any impurities it contains
2 a : originating or due to causes within a body, organ, or part <an intrinsic metabolic disease> b : originating and included wholly within an organ or part < intrinsic muscles> ― compare EXTRINSIC 1b
– in · trin · si · cal · ly \ -zi-k( ə -)l ē , -si- \ adverb