internally
UK[ɪnˈtɜːnəli]US[ɪnˈtɜːrnəli]
adv
Inside or within something.
adv
In a way that relates to the inner nature of a thing; privately or mentally.
Morpheme Breakdown
inter
n
al
ly
inter
among, within
n
al
adjective suffix
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
The word 'internally' is built upon the Latin preposition 'inter', meaning "among, between, within". This root entered English via Old French. The suffix '-al' (from Latin '-alis') was attached to form the adjective 'internal', signifying "of or situated on the inside". Finally, the Old English adverbial suffix '-ly' was added, creating the modern adverb. The core semantic journey is from the spatial concept of being situated within a boundary or among other elements, to the more abstract senses of pertaining to inner characteristics or private mental processes.
Analysis
Structure: inter (among, within) + n + al (adjective suffix) + ly (adverb suffix)
- inter: Latin origin, meaning "among, between, within". It functions as a prefix indicating location or relation.
- n: A connecting letter (epenthetic) with no independent meaning, added for phonetic ease.
- al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis), used to form adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by".
- ly: A suffix of Old English origin (-lice), used to form adverbs from adjectives, meaning "in a specified manner".
Examples
The medicine is to be applied internally.
She was struggling internally with the difficult decision.
The company reorganised its structure internally.