intern
B2Formal, Business, Academic
Definition
Meaning
A student or recent graduate gaining practical work experience, typically for a fixed period.
Any individual in a temporary training position within an organization, or to confine someone, especially during wartime.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun form relates primarily to professional training. The verb form 'to intern' means to work as an intern. A separate, rarer verb 'to intern' means to confine or imprison, especially of enemy aliens in wartime, and is etymologically distinct.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The noun/verb related to work experience is dominant in AmE. The confinement meaning is very rare and historical in both. Spelling: 'intern' in AmE; 'intern' or less commonly 'interne' (especially historically for the confinement meaning) in BrE.
Connotations
In AmE, strongly associated with corporate, media, or tech industry entry-level positions. In BrE, often used, but 'placement student' or 'trainee' may be more common in some formal contexts.
Frequency
Higher frequency in AmE for the work-experience sense.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
intern at + [Organization]intern with + [Person/Department]intern for + [Duration]be interned at + [Place] (confinement)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “From intern to perm”
- “The intern shuffle”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A temporary, often junior role for gaining experience, sometimes leading to full-time employment.
Academic
A structured experiential learning component of a degree programme.
Everyday
A student working temporarily in an office or company.
Technical
In medicine, a doctor in their first year of postgraduate training (especially in US contexts; UK uses 'foundation doctor').
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The marketing department has taken on three new interns for the summer.
American English
- She landed a competitive intern spot at a Silicon Valley startup.
verb
British English
- He hopes to intern at the BBC after he finishes his degree.
American English
- I interned for a senator the summer before my senior year.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is an intern in a big company.
- The intern learned how to use the new software quickly.
- After interning at the law firm, she was offered a permanent contract.
- The internship programme is designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an INTERN is someone who is 'IN-TERN-ally' learning the ropes, inside an organization for a while.
Conceptual Metaphor
A BRIDGE (between education and career), A PROVING GROUND.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'интерн', which in Russian is primarily a medical doctor in specialization training. The broader English 'intern' includes any field. For a general trainee, 'стажёр' is often more accurate.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'intern' for a permanent junior employee (it's temporary).
- Confusing the verb 'intern' (work experience) with the very rare verb 'intern' (confine).
- Misspelling as 'inturn'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'intern' as a noun in modern American English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, but not exclusively. 'Intern' can refer to any individual, including recent graduates or career changers, in a temporary training position.
For the work-experience sense, yes: 'intern'. Historically, the confinement meaning was sometimes spelled 'interne' in BrE, but this is now rare.
An apprentice is typically in a skilled trade, bound by a formal contract for longer-term training leading to a qualification. An intern is more general, often shorter-term, and common in white-collar professions.
Yes, 'to intern' means to work as an intern (e.g., 'She interned at a magazine'). It is distinct from the very rare verb 'to intern' meaning to confine.