Category:Intrinsic

In*trin"sic, a. Etym: [L. intrinsecus inward, on the inside; intra within + secus otherwise, beside; akin to E. second: cf. F. intrinsèque. See Inter-, Second, and cf. Extrinsic.]

1. Inward; internal; hence, true; genuine; real; essential; inherent; not merely apparent or accidental; -- opposed to extrinsic; as, the intrinsic value of gold or silver; the intrinsic merit of an action; the intrinsic worth or goodness of a person. He was better qualified than they to estimate justly the intrinsic value of Grecian philosophy and refinement. I. Taylor.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: Included wholly within an organ or limb, as certain groups of muscles; -- opposed to extrinsic. Intrinsic energy of a body (Physics), the work it can do in virtue of its actual condition, without any supply of energy from without. -- Intrinsic equation of a curve (Geom.), the equation which expresses the relation which the length of a curve, measured from a given point of it, to a movable point, has to the angle which the tangent to the curve at the movable point makes with a fixed line. -- Intrinsic value. See the Note under Value, n.

Syn. -- Inherent; innate; natural; real; genuine.

intrinsic In*trin"sic, n.

Defn: A genuine quality. [Obs.] Warburton.