intrinsic

/ɪnˈtɹɪn.zɪk/

//ɪnˈtɹɪn.zɪk// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"intrinsic" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“intrinsic” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,637. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,637
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Innate, inherent, inseparable from the thing itself, essential.

Corpus desk

Index EN-intrinsic · intrinsic · English

intrinsic · rank #15,637 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #15,637
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH interfaces

Nearest frequency peer: interfaces (-2 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “intrinsic”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “intrinsic” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for intrinsic
PropertyValue
Headwordintrinsic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪnˈtɹɪn.zɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#15,637
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “intrinsic”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).intrinsiclands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “interfaces” (#15,635), “irresistible” (#15,639), “Javier” (#15,640). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “intrinsic” is #15,637. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around intrinsic (IPA /ɪnˈtɹɪn.zɪk/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #15,637 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for intrinsic, with forms such as "inntrinsic", "inrtinsic", and "intirnsic". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French intrinsèque, from Latin intrīnsecus (“on the inside, inwardly”), from *intrim, an assumed adverbial form of inter (“within”) + secus (“by, on the side”). The correct English form is intrinsic, spelled I-N-T-R-I-N-S-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Innate, inherent, inseparable from the thing itself, essential.
  2. 2
    Situated, produced, secreted in, or coming from inside an organ, tissue, muscle or member.
  3. 3
    Built-in.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. the intrinsic value of gold or silver
  2. the intrinsic merit of an action

Etymology

From Middle French intrinsèque, from Latin intrīnsecus (“on the inside, inwardly”), from *intrim, an assumed adverbial form of inter (“within”) + secus (“by, on the side”).

Synonyms

built-inessentialimmanentinborninbuiltinfusedingrainedinherentintegralintrinsicinwroughtradical

Antonyms

alienexternalextrinsicforeign

This word in other languages

intrínseco(Español)intrinsèque(Français)intrinsisch(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • inntrinsic
  • inrtinsic
  • intirnsic
  • intrinisc
  • intrinnsic
  • intrinsci
  • intrinsicc
  • intrinssic
  • intrisnic
  • intrnisic
  • intrrinsic
  • inttrinsic
  • itnrinsic
  • nitrinsic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of intrinsic - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

inntrinsic1inrtinsic2intirnsic2intrinisc2intrinnsic1intrinsci2intrinsicc1intrinssic1
Edit distance from "intrinsic"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "intrinsic"?
"intrinsic" is spelled I-N-T-R-I-N-S-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈtɹɪn.zɪk/.
What does "intrinsic" mean?
As an adjective, "intrinsic" means: Innate, inherent, inseparable from the thing itself, essential.
What are common misspellings of "intrinsic"?
Common misspellings include "inntrinsic", "inrtinsic", "intirnsic", "intrinisc", "intrinnsic". The correct spelling is "intrinsic".
How do you pronounce "intrinsic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intrinsic" is /ɪnˈtɹɪn.zɪk/. 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 "intrinsic"?
From Middle French intrinsèque, from Latin intrīnsecus (“on the inside, inwardly”), from *intrim, an assumed adverbial form of inter (“within”) + secus (“by, on the side”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "intrinsic", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

immersion#15,632imitation#15,631landslide#15,647flashback#15,613

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

provoking14 variantscomplains14 variantsbiomedical14 variantsturbulent14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list