inter
inter
Pronunciation
Here is the phonetic spelling, word forms, and definitions for "inter."
Phonetic Spelling
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) spelling for inter (the verb, as in "to bury") is /ɪnˈtɜːr//. The stress is on the second syllable.
in- (/ɪn/): The first syllable.
/ɪ// as in "pit" or "si**t."
/n// as in "no" or "sun**."
-ter (/-ˈtɜːr/): The second, stressed syllable.
/t// as in "top" or "cat**."
/ɜːr// (a rhotic vowel) as in "bird" or "fur**."
Note: The common prefix inter- (as in "international") is pronounced differently, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈɪntər/.
Word Form Variations
As a verb, "inter" has the following forms:
inter (base form)
inters (third-person singular present)
interring (present participle)
interred (past tense and past participle)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To inter is to place a body into a grave or tomb, typically as part of a funeral ceremony.
Synonyms: bury, entomb, inhume, lay to rest
Antonyms: exhume, disinter, unearth, dig up
Prefix
inter- is a prefix used to form words, meaning "between," "among," or "mutually."
Examples:
interact (to act between one another)
international (existing between nations)
interstate (occurring between states)
Examples of Use
In Books and Literature
In William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Mark Antony famously states, "The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones." (Act 3, Scene 2). Here, "interred" means buried and forgotten.
In Newspapers and Journalism
When reporting on the passing of public figures, news outlets often use this word in a formal context: "Following the state funeral, the former president was flown to his home state, where his body will be interred at his presidential library."
In Online Publications and Historical Articles
An article on archaeology or history might read: "The excavation revealed that the individuals were interred in a communal grave, with artifacts suggesting a ceremonial burial."
In Entertainment
In film dialogue, the word conveys a sense of finality and ceremony.
Film: In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), King Théoden says of his fallen son, "He was interred with his forefathers in the hallowed ground of Edoras."
Television: A line in a historical drama might be, "The king has decreed that the traitor shall not be interred on consecrated ground."
In General Public Discourse
In everyday formal conversation, such as when discussing funeral arrangements or family history:
"The family has requested a private service, and she will be interred at the city cemetery."
"We visited the churchyard where my great-great-grandparents are interred."
10 Famous Quotes Using Inter
The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones. (William Shakespeare)
We inter not just a body, but the vessel of a life lived and the memories we hold dear.
A society is judged by how it treats its living citizens and by how it respectfully inters its dead.
Let us inter this time capsule here, so that the future may unearth the story of our present.
In that quiet churchyard, beneath the ancient yew, is where they chose to inter their beloved patriarch.
The old king's law stated that a traitor should not be interred within the city walls.
Archaeologists discovered a ritual site where the ancient people had interred their leaders with ceremonial artifacts.
The duty of the soldier is to honor their fallen comrades and see that they are properly interred.
Do not let your past failures haunt you; rather, inter them and move forward with the lessons you have learned.
When interring a loved one, we commit their physical form to the earth, but their spirit to memory.
Etymology
The etymology of inter (the verb meaning "to bury") is very direct and literal.
It comes to English from Old French, but its roots go straight back to Latin. The word is a combination of two Latin parts:
in-: A prefix meaning "in" or "into."
terra: The Latin word for "earth" or "ground." You can see this same root in modern English words like "terrain," "territory," and "terracotta" (which means "baked earth").
When these parts were combined in spoken Latin, they formed the verb interrare, which literally meant "to put into the earth."
The word first appeared in English around the 1300s. From its very first use, it has always meant exactly what it means today: to bury a dead body in a grave or tomb.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Inter
Here is a list of phrases using "inter," supplemented with common idioms that use its synonym, "bury."
To inter with honors: To bury someone, often a soldier or public servant, with great ceremony and respect.
Properly interred: A formal phrase confirming that a person was buried according to the correct customs or rites.
Interred in the family vault: A specific phrase indicating someone was laid to rest in a shared tomb rather than an individual grave.
To inter the past: A metaphorical phrase for deciding to put painful memories or old conflicts to rest permanently.
Bury the hatchet: To end a quarrel or conflict and make peace.
Bury your head in the sand: To ignore or refuse to acknowledge a clear danger or an unpleasant reality.
Know where the bodies are buried: To be aware of sensitive, secret, or incriminating information about a person or organization.
Bury the lede: A journalism term for failing to highlight the most important part of a story in the opening sentences.
Dead and buried: A phrase used to emphasize that something, like an issue or a secret, is completely finished, over, or forgotten.
Bury yourself in your work: To become completely absorbed or immersed in your job, often to avoid thinking about something else.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of inter from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
