adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Canada, UK, US:/ˌɪntɹəˈspɛktɪv/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˌɪntɹəˈspektɪv/
rhymes with -ɛktɪv
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N T R AH0 S P EH1 K T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:IH2 N T R OW0 S P EH1 K T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences; contemplative or thoughtful about oneself.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective
Meaning 2
given to examining own sensory and perceptual experiences
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: introverted, self-examining
Antonyms: extrospective
History
Etymology
From Latin intro "inward, within" (see intro-) + Latin specere "look at".
Across languages
Translations
11 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
introspectiu
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
Czech:
introspektivní
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
Finnish:
introspektiivinen
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
Finnish:
itseään havainnoiva
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
French:
introspectif
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
German:
introspektiv
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
German:
selbstbeobachtend
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
Hungarian:
introspektív
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
Portuguese:
introspectivo
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
Romanian:
introspectiv
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
Spanish:
introspectivo
— examining one's own perceptions and sensory experiences
