noun

intern

ihn-TURN

noun

A student or recent graduate working temporarily, often unpaid or low-paid, to gain experience.

"She spent the summer as an intern at a marketing agency."

verb

To imprison or confine someone, often without trial, especially during wartime.

"Thousands of civilians were interned during the war."

To work as an intern.

"He interned at a law firm the summer before his final year."

How to Use Intern

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a trainee gaining work experience, or (as a verb) to confine someone by force.

Common mistake

These two meanings — "trainee" and "to confine by force" — come from the same root but are unrelated in modern use; context makes clear which is meant.

Common pairings

summer intern intern at a company interned during the war

Word Forms

more intern comparative, interned past tense, interned past tense, interns plural, interns plural, interns singular, interns singular, most intern superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “intern” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She spent the summer as an _____ at a marketing agency.

Etymology

From French interner, from interne ("inner, internal"), from Latin internus.