lexicow

intrinsic

/ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk//ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk/·adjective
I watch a dull grey stone that keeps leaking a thread of light along its crack, so I lean in, already certain there's something hiding in there. Then it splits and the inside detonates — rays, a white-hot core, a flash that throws light right across the dark. Nothing was poured into it. It was carrying that blaze the whole time, just waiting to be opened.
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Definition

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.

Examples

  • A diamond's hardness is intrinsic; its glamour is something society adds.
  • Good teachers nurture intrinsic motivation, the drive that comes from genuine interest rather than rewards.
  • Its intrinsic worth becomes tangible the moment you peel off the brand name and weigh the thing in your hand.

Collocations

intrinsic value·intrinsic motivation·intrinsic to the design·intrinsic worth·intrinsic properties

Synonyms

inherent·innate·essential·built-in·fundamental

Antonyms

extrinsic·external·incidental

Word family

intrinsically (adverb)

In TOEFL & 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.