interior

American  

[in-teer-ee-er] / ɪnˈtɪər i ər /

adjective

1. being within; inside of anything; internal; inner; further toward a center.

   the interior rooms of a house.

   Antonyms:

   exterior

2. of or relating to that which is within; inside.

   an interior view.

3. situated well inland from the coast or border.

   the interior towns of a country.

4. of or relating to the inland.

5. domestic.

   interior trade.

6. private or hidden; inner.

   interior negotiations of the council.

7. pertaining to the mind or soul; mental or spiritual.

   the interior life.

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noun

1. the internal or inner part; inside.

   Antonyms:

   exterior

2. Architecture.

   1. the inside part of a building, considered as a whole from the point of view of artistic design or general effect, convenience, etc.

   2. a single room or apartment so considered.

3. a pictorial representation of the inside of a room.

4. the inland parts of a region, country, etc..

   the Alaskan interior.

5. the domestic affairs of a country as distinguished from its foreign affairs.

   the Department of the Interior.

6. the inner or inward nature or character of anything.

7. Mathematics. the largest open set contained in a given set, as the points in a circle not including the boundary.

interior ¹ British  

/ ɪnˈtɪərɪə /

noun

1. a part, surface, or region that is inside or on the inside

   the interior of Africa

2. inner character or nature

3. a film or scene shot inside a building, studio, etc

4. a picture of the inside of a room or building, as in a painting or stage design

5. the inside of a building or room, with respect to design and decoration

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adjective

1. of, situated on, or suitable for the inside; inner

2. coming or acting from within; internal

3. of or involving a nation's domestic affairs; internal

4. (esp of one's spiritual or mental life) secret or private; not observable

Interior ² British  

/ ɪnˈtɪərɪə /

noun

1. (in titles) the domestic or internal affairs of any of certain countries

   Department of the Interior

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Related Words

See inside.

Other Word Forms

• interiority noun
• interiorly adverb

Etymology

Origin of interior

First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin, comparative adjective equivalent to inter- “inward” + -ior comparative suffix; exterior

Example Sentences

The interior ministry statement said in a statement translated from Arabic: "Security forces immediately launched an operation to apprehend the perpetrators, acting on precise intelligence and through intensive field operations, tracking the kidnappers' movements."

From BBC

The interior was neat and cozy—one bedroom, a good-sized kitchen, a narrow dining space, and two wing-backed chairs in front of a hearth.

From Literature

No longer could the Politburo rely on centuries-old doctrine of strategic withdrawal from the periphery to the interior, seeking better ground from which to repel an invader.

From The Wall Street Journal

The cause of its collapse, which happened after heavy rain, is unknown, with the interior minister saying investigations are under way.

From BBC

Crowds at the ceremony cheered and chanted his name after he formally took office, where he named key cabinet posts, including former youth activist Sudan Gurung as interior minister.

From Barron's

Related Words

• internal
• remote