noun

introvert and extrovert

IN-truh-vurt and EK-struh-vurt

Introvert and extrovert (noun) means a pair of personality types describing where a person's energy is directed: an introvert is drawn inward and is recharged by quiet and solitude, while an extrovert is drawn outward and is recharged by company and activity. Example: “The team is split between introverts who want to think first and extroverts who want to talk it out.”

noun

A pair of personality types describing where a person's energy is directed: an introvert is drawn inward and is recharged by quiet and solitude, while an extrovert is drawn outward and is recharged by company and activity.

"The team is split between introverts who want to think first and extroverts who want to talk it out."

"Understanding the introvert and extrovert divide changed how we run meetings."

informal Loosely, a shy person and an outgoing person.

"He calls himself an introvert, but he means he hates parties."

"Our two children are a textbook introvert and extrovert."

How to Use Introvert and extrovert

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishIntroverts get their energy from quiet time alone; extroverts get theirs from being with people.

When to use it

Everyday and popular-psychology usage; clinical psychology prefers the broader trait term extraversion.

Memory tip

Extrovert is the everyday spelling; extravert is the older technical form still used in psychology papers.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

extrovert vs extravert introvert vs shy introvert vs antisocial

Common pairings

introvert vs extrovert classic introvert natural extrovert introvert and extrovert traits

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Etymology

Both are built from Latin vertere 'to turn': intro- 'inward' plus vertere, and extra- 'outside' plus vertere. So the words literally mean inward-turned and outward-turned.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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personality types temperaments

Rhymes for introvert and extrovert

overt covert introvert extrovert

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between an introvert and an extrovert?

The core difference is where each gets their energy. An introvert is drained by prolonged social contact and restored by time alone, while an extrovert is energised by being around other people and can feel flat in isolation. It is about recharging, not about how much either one likes people.

Is an introvert the same as being shy?

No. Shyness is anxiety about being judged in social situations; introversion is a preference for lower stimulation. Plenty of introverts are confident public speakers who simply need quiet afterwards, and some extroverts are genuinely shy.

What is an ambivert?

An ambivert sits between the two, comfortable with company and with solitude and shifting depending on the situation. Most people fall somewhere in the middle of the scale rather than at either extreme.

Where do these terms come from?

They come from Latin roots meaning turned inward and turned outward, and entered everyday English through twentieth-century psychology, particularly the work of Carl Jung on psychological types.