01 a. Inward; internal; hence, true; genuine; real; essential; inherent; not merely apparent or accidental; -- opposed to extrinsic; as, the intr…
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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.
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2.
Included wholly within an organ or limb, as certain groups of muscles; -- opposed to extrinsic.(Anat.)
Phrases & compounds
Intrinsic energy of a body —
the work it can do in virtue of its actual condition, without any supply of energy from without.
Intrinsic equation of a curve —
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.