The interior of something is the inside part of it.
The interior of the house was furnished with heavy, old-fashioned pieces.
The boat's interior badly needed painting.
Synonyms: inside, centre, heart, middle More Synonyms of interior
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use interior to describe something that is inside a building or vehicle.
The interior walls were painted green.
There is more interior space than in some rival cars.
He pulled the car over, turned on the interior light, examined the map.
Synonyms: inside, internal, inner More Synonyms of interior
3. singular noun [oft with poss]
The interior of a country or continent is the central area of it.
...a 5-day hike into the interior.
...the unknown interior of South America.
The Yangzi river would give access to much of China's interior.
Synonyms: heartland, centre, hinterland, upcountry More Synonyms of interior
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A country's interior minister, ministry, or department deals with affairs within that country, such as law and order.
The French Interior Minister has intervened in a scandal over the role of a secretpolice force.
Synonyms: domestic, home, national, civil More Synonyms of interior
5. singular noun
A country's minister or ministry of the interior deals with affairs within that country, such as law and order.
An official from the Ministry of the Interior said six people had died.
6. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Interior thoughts or processes go on inside someone's head and are not expressed aloud.
We need some sort of interior life if we are to be happy.
...the mind's interior space.
More Synonyms of interior
interior in British English
(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
adjective
6.
of, situated on, or suitable for the inside; inner
7.
coming or acting from within; internal
8.
of or involving a nation's domestic affairs; internal
9.
(esp of one's spiritual or mental life) secret or private; not observable
Derived forms
interiorly (inˈteriorly)
adverb
Word origin
C15: from Latin (adj), comparative of inter within
Interior in British English
(ɪnˈtɪərɪə)
noun
the Interior
interior in American English
(ɪnˈtɪriər)
adjective
1.
situated within; on the inside; inner
2.
away from the coast, border, or frontier; inland
3.
of the internal, or domestic, affairs of a country
4.
of the inner nature of a person or thing; private, secret, etc.
noun
5.
the interior part of anything
; specif.,
a.
the inside of a room or building
b.
the inland part of a country or region
c.
the inner nature of a person or thing
6.
a picture, view, etc. of the inside of a room or building
7.
the internal, or domestic, affairs of a country
the U.S. Department of the Interior
Derived forms
interiority (inˌteriˈority) (ɪnˌtɪriˈɔrəti)
noun
interiorly (inˈteriorly)
adverb
Word origin
ME < MFr < L, compar. of inter, between: see inter-
Examples of 'interior' in a sentence
interior
You can talk about fashion in interior design with a reasonably straight face now.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The interior minister called it an attempted uprising.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is more than free association or an unfocused interior monologue.
The Sun (2016)
This could clearly be seen by the public due to the car 's interior light being on.
The Sun (2017)
It looked like the cover of an interiors magazine, but it must block out the light something rotten.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The goal was to blur the normal hard line between interior and exterior space, and to suggest the continuity of buildings and nature.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
We have opted for evolution and not revolution, so now the whole world comes here to see great country houses and their interiors still unscathed.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
For many people the tour also includes restaurants (a key influence on domestic interiors) and museums.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The interior of the building presented the appearance rather of a fair than a mere shop.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We need some sort of interior life if we are to be happy.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Go to the safest room or interior room in your home or business.
The Sun (2012)
Victorian country houses with rich interiors steeped in atmosphere are all too rare today.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The restrained decor of the interior gives way to a riot of colour and texture outside.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The scene is the interior of an office lift.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Interior ministry agents sat at tables nearby.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The countess took charge of the interior decoration.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Collect pages and ideas from interiors magazines.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Interior design is fashion with a slow metabolism.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
What it did deliver was an improvement in exterior styling and interior space.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The interior of the car seemed to be filling with smoke.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
These paintings address an interior world of philosophical speculation.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Buildings and their interiors are made to be used.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
His own interior life seems to work well.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And good looks mean that some of the interior space must have been compromised.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Out in the street the temperature was positively balmy compared with the interior of the house.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Summer greens are the season's most delicious addition to the domestic interior.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You get this interior monologue and it's completely negative.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There are 25 rooms with white interiors brought to life with modern art.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Belgium's coalition government was in turmoil after the country 's interior and justice ministers offered to resign over intelligence failures.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
interior
British English: interior /ɪnˈtɪərɪə/ NOUN
The interiorof something is the inside or central part of it.
...the boat's interior.
American English: interior
Arabic: دَاخِلٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: interior
Chinese: 内部
Croatian: unutrašnjost
Czech: interiér
Danish: indre
Dutch: interieur
European Spanish: interior
Finnish: sisus
French: intérieur
German: Innere
Greek: εσωτερικό
Italian: interni
Japanese: 内側
Korean: 내부
Norwegian: indre
Polish: wnętrze
European Portuguese: interior
Romanian: interior
Russian: интерьер
Latin American Spanish: interior
Swedish: inredning
Thai: ภายใน
Turkish: iç
Ukrainian: інтер'єр
Vietnamese: nội thất
British English: interior ADJECTIVE
You use interior to describe something that is inside a building or vehicle.
The interior walls were painted green.
American English: interior
Brazilian Portuguese: interno
Chinese: 内部的建筑或者车辆
European Spanish: interior
French: interne
German: Innen-
Italian: interno
Japanese: 内部の
Korean: 내부의
European Portuguese: interno
Latin American Spanish: interior
All related terms of 'interior'
the Interior
the domestic or internal affairs of any of certain countries
interior angle
an angle of a polygon contained between two adjacent sides
interior design
Interior design is the art or profession of designing the decoration for the inside of a house .
Interior Salish
in Canada , a division of the peoples who speak Salish languages
interior space
You use space to refer to an area that is empty or available . The area can be any size. For example , you can refer to a large area outside as a large open space or to a small area between two objects as a small space .
interior-sprung
(esp of a mattress ) containing springs
interior decorator
An interior decorator is a person who is employed to design and decorate the inside of people's houses.
interior designer
An interior designer is a person who is employed to design the decoration for the inside of people's houses.
Interior Minister
the minister who is responsible for domestic affairs
interior monologue
a literary attempt to present the mental processes of a character before they are formed into regular patterns of speech or logical sequence
interior decoration
Interior decoration is the decoration of the inside of a house.
Ministry of the Interior
a government department that deals with the domestic or internal affairs of a country, esp law and order
Chinese translation of 'interior'
interior
(ɪnˈtɪərɪəʳ)
n
(c)[of building, car, box]内(內)部 (nèibù)
(s)[of country]内(內)地 (nèidì)
adj
[door, window, room]内(內)部的 (nèibù de)
[minister, department]内(內)政的 (nèizhèng de)
Minister/Ministry of the Interior内(內)政部长(長)/部 (nèizhèng bùzhǎng/bù)
1 (noun)
Definition
a part or region that is on the inside
The boat's interior badly needed painting.
Synonyms
inside
Cut off the top and scoop out the inside with a teaspoon.
centre
A large wooden table dominates the centre of the room.
heart
The heart of the problem is supply and demand.
middle
I was in the middle of the back row.
contents
depths
core
He has the ability to get straight to the core of a problem.
belly
nucleus
The movement could become the nucleus of a new political party.
bowels
bosom
He went back to the snug bosom of his family.
innards (informal)
2 (noun)
Definition
the central area of a country or continent, furthest from the sea
a 5-day hike into the interior
Synonyms
heartland
the industrial heartland of America
centre
hinterland
upcountry
1 (adjective)
Definition
coming or acting from within
He turned on the interior light and examined the map.
Synonyms
inside
four-berth inside cabins with en suite bathrooms
internal
Some of the internal walls are made of plasterboard.
inner
She got up and went into an inner office.
Opposites
outside
,
exterior
,
external
,
outer
,
outward
2 (adjective)
Definition
mental or spiritual
the interior life of human beings
Synonyms
mental
emotional
Victims are left with emotional problems that can last for life.
psychological
the treatment of psychological disorders
private
I've always kept my private and professional life separate.
He hardly ever betrayed his private thoughts.
personal
prying into his personal life
secret
hidden
spiritual
intimate
She wrote about the intimate details of her family life.
inner
All we need to know about his inner life is in his art.
inward
a glow of inward satisfaction
instinctive
impulsive
The press claim that she is too impulsive to be a responsible prime minister.
3 (adjective)
Definition
of a nation's domestic affairs
The French Interior Minister has intervened over the scandal.
Synonyms
domestic
sales in the domestic market
home
Europe's software companies still have a growing home market.
national
major national and international issues
civil
This civil unrest threatens the economy.
internal
The country stepped up internal security.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bosom
Definition
a protective centre or part
He went back to the snug bosom of his family.
Synonyms
midst,
centre,
heart,
safety,
protection,
circle,
shelter,
refuge
in the sense of centre
Definition
the middle point or part of something
A large wooden table dominates the centre of the room.
Synonyms
middle,
heart,
focus,
mid (archaic),
core,
nucleus,
hub,
pivot,
kernel,
crux,
bull's-eye,
midpoint,
centR
in the sense of civil
Definition
of or occurring within the state or between citizens