inter

¹ American  

[in-tur] / ɪnˈtɜr /

verb (used with object)

interred, interring

1. to place (a dead body) in a grave or tomb; bury.

2. to place (a cremation urn) in an aboveground niche or in a grave or tomb.

   Her ashes were interred at the crematorium.

3. to put into the earth.

4. to forget or remove from consideration; abandon.

   Your dreams may be interred by social expectations and the demands of maturity.

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inter- ² American  

1. a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin, where it meant “between,” “among,” “in the midst of,” “mutually,” “reciprocally,” “together,” “during” (intercept; interest ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (intercom; interdepartmental ).

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inter. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. intermediate.

2. interrogation.

3. interrogative.

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inter ¹ British  

/ ɪnˈtɜː /

verb

1. (tr) to place (a body) in the earth; bury, esp with funeral rites

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inter. ² British  

abbreviation

1. intermediate

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inter- ³ British  

prefix

1. between or among

   international

2. together, mutually, or reciprocally

   interdependent

   interchange

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inter– Scientific  

1. A prefix meaning “between” or “among,” as in interplanetary, located between planets.

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Other Word Forms

• reinter verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of inter¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English enteren, from Middle French enterrer, probably from unattested Vulgar Latin interrāre, derivative of terra “earth”; in- ²

Origin of inter-²

Middle English < Latin (in some words replacing Middle English entre- < Middle French < Latin inter- ), combining form of inter (preposition and adv.); interior

Compare meaning

How does inter compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• inter vs. intrapersonal

Example Sentences

The wet may provide more grip when it's very wet, but the extra flexibility of the inter will always win out if the conditions are variable, as they were at Silverstone.

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2025

There are no signs of violence, and the grave was probably opened multiple times over the course of several decades to inter new bodies.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 19, 2024

Shiv, as the funeral ends and the cemetery prepares to inter her father: “I’m intrigued to see how he gets out of this one.”

From New York Times • May 21, 2023

Christopher Taktak, Pisces’ chief executive, said a solution that is mostly warm water takes about four hours to leave behind bone material that people will inter or take home.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2023

Right, now, we’re gonna split inter two parties an’ follow the trail in different directions.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling