intra-

/ˌɪn.tɹə/

//ˌɪn.tɹə// prefix

"intra" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“intra-” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prefix. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Within a single entity indicated by the root word:

Corpus desk

Index EN-intra · intra- · English

intra- · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "I" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for intra-
PropertyValue
Headwordintra-
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrefix
IPA/ˌɪn.tɹə/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “intra-” in English

intra-sits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

intra- is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprefix, transcribed /ˌɪn.tɹə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 12 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for intra- in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin intrā (“within”). The correct English form is intra-, spelled I-N-T-R-A--.

Definition

  1. 1
    Within a single entity indicated by the root word:
  2. 2
    Within a single entity indicated by the root word:
  3. 3
    Within a single entity indicated by the root word:
  4. 4
    Within a single entity indicated by the root word:
  5. 5
    A direction that is inward or into the location indicated by the root word.
  6. 6
    Indicating that the root is internal in nature.
  7. 7
    In between two entities:
  8. 8
    In between two entities:
  9. 9
    In between two entities:
  10. 10
    The interior of the region indicated by the root.
  11. 11
    A part of the root entity.
  12. 12
    In alignment or synchronous with the root entity.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how intra- appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. intracoalition
  2. intracorporate

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin intrā (“within”).

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "intra-"?
"intra-" is spelled I-N-T-R-A--. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪn.tɹə/.
What does "intra-" mean?
As a prefix, "intra-" means: Within a single entity indicated by the root word:
How do you pronounce "intra-"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intra-" is /ˌɪn.tɹə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "intra-"?
Borrowed from Latin intrā (“within”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list