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intrinsic

/ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk//ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk/·adjective
belonging to something by its very nature; essential rather than added
Fig. 1 — There's a plain grey stone sitting shut, the dullest thing on the table — except for a thin thread of light escaping along its seam, which makes me lean in.
01Definition

Something intrinsic belongs to a thing by its own nature, not because of anything done to it from outside. The word traces to Latin intrinsecus, 'on the inside', and that is exactly the test: strip away the labels, the price tag and the reputation, and whatever still remains is intrinsic. It pairs naturally with worth, value and motivation, and stands opposite to extrinsic — a quality that is inherent in the thing itself versus one the world has merely bolted on.

02In use
  • iA diamond's hardness is intrinsic; its glamour is something society adds.
  • iiGood teachers nurture intrinsic motivation, the drive that comes from genuine interest rather than rewards.
  • iiiIts intrinsic worth becomes tangible the moment you peel off the brand name and weigh the thing in your hand.
03Collocations
  • intrinsic value
  • intrinsic motivation
  • intrinsic to the design
  • intrinsic worth
  • intrinsic properties

Family intrinsically (adverb)

04Relations

=inherent, innate, essential, built-in, fundamental

≠extrinsic, external, incidental

05Compared
PairThe difference
intrinsic vs inherentinseparable from the thing, comes with the territory — inherent in X → inherent; sourced from inside, owing nothing external — intrinsic to X → intrinsic.
06TOEFL & IELTS

A precise, high-level adjective examiners reward, especially the pairing 'intrinsic motivation' in education topics and 'intrinsic value' in economics and ethics. Use 'intrinsic to' + noun ('a risk intrinsic to the system'). Define it by its opposite, extrinsic, to show range. Both /-sɪk/ and /-zɪk/ are heard for the final syllable.

07Asked
What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic?
Intrinsic comes from within a thing itself; extrinsic comes from outside it. An intrinsic quality is part of the thing's own nature; an extrinsic one is added by circumstances. Gold has intrinsic value to some; a banknote's value is extrinsic, granted by a system. The scene above is intrinsic worth — a dull stone whose blaze was inside it all along.
What is intrinsic motivation?
Doing something for its own sake — because it is interesting, satisfying, or meaningful — rather than for a reward. A child who reads for pleasure is intrinsically motivated; one who reads for a prize is extrinsically motivated. Psychologists find intrinsic motivation tends to sustain effort longer, which is why it matters so much in education.
What does 'intrinsic value' mean?
The worth something has in itself, apart from what it can be exchanged for or what others think of it. In ethics, an intrinsic good is valued for its own sake, not as a means to something else. In finance, intrinsic value is an asset's real underlying worth, as opposed to its fluctuating market price.
Is it 'intrinsic to' or 'intrinsic in'?
To is the standard preposition: 'a risk intrinsic to the system', 'qualities intrinsic to good writing'. This is the mirror of its cousin inherent, which takes in ('inherent in the system'). Keeping the two prepositions straight — intrinsic to, inherent in — is a small mark of precise, academic English.
What is the difference between intrinsic and inherent?
They are near-synonyms with a shade between them. Inherent stresses that a quality is inseparable — it cannot be removed without the thing changing. Intrinsic stresses that a quality comes from within, as opposed to being added from outside (its true opposite is extrinsic). Risk is inherent in investment; value can be intrinsic to an object.
What does 'intrinsically' mean?
In itself, by its own nature — 'the task is intrinsically rewarding', 'nothing intrinsically wrong with it'. The adverb points to what is true of a thing on its own, before anything outside is considered. It often sets up a contrast: something may be intrinsically valuable yet worth little on the market, where extrinsic factors rule.