Origin: Latin prefix inter-
Internship has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
the position of a medical intern
"After graduating from medical school, she began her internship at the city hospital to complete her required residency training."
A job taken by a student in order to learn a profession or trade.
"The engineering student completed her internship at the design firm to gain practical experience before graduation."
In plain English: An internship is a temporary job where you learn skills on the job while getting paid or gaining experience for your resume.
"She started her summer internship at a local marketing firm to gain real-world experience."
Usage: An internship refers specifically to temporary work experience undertaken by students, distinct from paid employment or unpaid volunteering unless specified otherwise. It is commonly used when describing educational programs designed to provide hands-on training within a professional field.
The word internship combines the root intern with the suffix -ship, which is used to form nouns indicating a state or condition. This construction creates a term that refers to the period of supervised work experience gained while working as an intern.