Inter vs. Enter — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 22, 2024
Inter relates to burial, while enter involves going into a space.
Difference Between Inter and Enter
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Inter is a verb that specifically means to place a dead body into a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites. It is associated with the act of burying the dead, underscoring the finality and solemnity. For example, the practice of interring bodies in cemeteries is a common cultural and religious tradition worldwide. Enter, on the other hand, is a verb that means to go or come into a particular place, space, or condition. It encompasses a wide range of actions, from physically entering a building to metaphorically entering a state of mind. Enter is a fundamental concept in spatial dynamics, emphasizing the action of moving from one space into another.
The usage of inter is primarily found in contexts, burial practices, and discussions on afterlife rituals. It conveys a sense of respect and care for those who have passed away, marking the transition of the deceased from the world of the living to the realm of the dead. Enter is used in a vast array of contexts, indicating physical or metaphorical entry. It can describe everyday actions, such as entering a room, or significant life changes, such as entering a new phase of life. This versatility makes enter a common verb in both literal and figurative language.
While inter deals with the act of burying and implies a connection to rituals, traditions, and respect for the dead, enter focuses on the act of moving into a new or different space. This difference highlights the specialized nature of inter versus the general applicability of enter. The specificity of inter as related to burial practices contrasts with the broad applicability of enter in discussions of physical and conceptual movements. This contrast underlines the unique and solemn connotation of inter, as opposed to the everyday utility of enter.
In legal and religious texts, inter might be used to detail the specific rites and regulations surrounding burial practices, emphasizing the cultural and spiritual significance of this act. Such contexts highlight the respect and dignity afforded to the deceased and their final resting places. Conversely, enter finds its use in a multitude of contexts, from legal documents and real estate (entering into agreements or properties) to technology (entering data into a system). Its widespread use across different fields underscores its essential role in describing movements and transitions.
Comparison Chart
Definition
To place a dead body into a grave or tomb
To go or come into a place, space, or condition
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Context
Burial practices, funerals
Wide range, including physical spaces and metaphorical states
Connotation
Solemnity, respect for the dead
Movement, transition
Usage
Specialized, related to burial
Broad, applicable in various contexts
Examples
Interment in a cemetery
Entering a building, a new phase of life
Compare with Definitions
Inter
Associated with funeral rites.
Customs on how to properly inter the deceased vary by culture.
Enter
To go or come into a place.
Please enter through the front door.
Inter
Conveys respect for the deceased.
The soldiers were interred with full military honors.
Enter
To start or begin something.
She decided to enter the field of medicine.
Inter
Related to graves or tombs.
Ancient tombs often contain interred treasures alongside the remains.
Enter
To input data into a system.
Enter your password to access your account.
Inter
To bury a dead body.
The family decided to inter the ashes in a local cemetery.
Enter
To participate in an event.
He will enter the competition next week.
Inter
Solemn and ceremonial.
The interment process is steeped in tradition and respect.
Enter
To come into effect.
The new law will enter into force in January.
Inter
Place (a corpse) in a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites
He was interred with the military honours due to him
Enter
To write or put in
Entered our names in the guest book.
Enters the data into the computer.
Inter
To place in a grave or tomb; bury.
Enter
To come or go into
The train entered the tunnel.
Inter
To bury in a grave.
Enter
To penetrate; pierce
The bullet entered the victim's skull.
Inter
To confine, as in a prison.
Enter
To introduce; insert
She entered the probe into the patient's artery.
Inter
To deposit and cover in the earth; to bury; to inhume; as, to inter a dead body.
Enter
To become a participant, member, or part of; join
Too old to enter the army.
Entered the discussion at a crucial moment.
Inter
Place in a grave or tomb;
Stalin was buried behind the Kremlin wall on Red Square
The pharaos were entombed in the pyramids
My grandfather was laid to rest last Sunday
Enter
To gain admission to (a school, for example).
Enter
To cause to become a participant, member, or part of; enroll
Entered the children in private school.
Entered dahlias in a flower show.
Enter
To embark on; begin
With Sputnik, the Soviet Union entered the space age.
Enter
To make a beginning in; take up
Entered medicine.
Enter
To place formally on record; submit
Enter a plea of not guilty.
Enter a complaint.
Enter
To go to or occupy in order to claim possession of (land).
Enter
To report (a ship or cargo) to customs.
Enter
To come or go in; make an entry
As the president entered, the band played "Hail to the Chief.".
Enter
To effect penetration.
Enter
To become a member or participant.
Enter
A key on a keyboard or keypad used to enter or confirm a command or other textual input.
Enter
(intransitive) To go or come into an enclosed or partially enclosed space.
You should knock before you enter, unless you want to see me naked.
Enter
(transitive) To cause to go (into), or to be received (into); to put in; to insert; to cause to be admitted.
To enter a knife into a piece of wood;
To enter a boy at college, a horse for a race, etc.
Enter
(figuratively) To go or come into (a state or profession).
My twelve-year-old son will be entering his teens next year.
She had planned to enter the legal profession.
Enter
(transitive) To type (something) into a computer; to input.
Enter your user name and password.
Enter
(transitive) To record (something) in an account, ledger, etc.
Enter
To become a party to an agreement, treaty, etc.
Enter
To become effective; to come into effect.
Enter
(legal) To go into or upon, as lands, and take actual possession of them.
Enter
To place in regular form before the court, usually in writing; to put upon record in proper from and order
To enter a writ, appearance, rule, or judgment
Enter
To make report of (a vessel or its cargo) at the custom house; to submit a statement of (imported goods), with the original invoices, to the proper customs officer for estimating the duties. See entry.
Enter
To file, or register with the land office, the required particulars concerning (a quantity of public land) in order to entitle a person to a right of preemption.
Enter
To deposit for copyright the title or description of (a book, picture, map, etc.).
Entered according to act of Congress
Enter
To initiate; to introduce favourably.
Enter
(computing) Enter
Enter
(computing) Enter
Enter
To come or go into; to pass into the interior of; to pass within the outer cover or shell of; to penetrate; to pierce; as, to enter a house, a closet, a country, a door, etc.; the river enters the sea.
That darksome cave they enter.
I, . . . with the multitude of my redeemed,Shall enter heaven, long absent.
Enter
To unite in; to join; to be admitted to; to become a member of; as, to enter an association, a college, an army.
Enter
To engage in; to become occupied with; as, to enter the legal profession, the book trade, etc.
Enter
To pass within the limits of; to attain; to begin; to commence upon; as, to enter one's teens, a new era, a new dispensation.
Enter
To cause to go (into), or to be received (into); to put in; to insert; to cause to be admitted; as, to enter a knife into a piece of wood, a wedge into a log; to enter a boy at college, a horse for a race, etc.
Enter
To inscribe; to enroll; to record; as, to enter a name, or a date, in a book, or a book in a catalogue; to enter the particulars of a sale in an account, a manifest of a ship or of merchandise at the customhouse.
Enter
To go into or upon, as lands, and take actual possession of them.
Enter
To make report of (a vessel or her cargo) at the customhouse; to submit a statement of (imported goods), with the original invoices, to the proper officer of the customs for estimating the duties. See Entry, 4.
Enter
To file or inscribe upon the records of the land office the required particulars concerning (a quantity of public land) in order to entitle a person to a right pf preëmption.
Enter
To deposit for copyright the title or description of (a book, picture, map, etc.); as, "entered according to act of Congress."
Enter
To initiate; to introduce favorably.
Enter
To go or come in; - often with in used pleonastically; also, to begin; to take the first steps.
No evil thing approach nor enter in.
Truth is fallen in the street, and equity can not enter.
For we which have believed do enter into rest.
Enter
To get admission; to introduce one's self; to penetrate; to form or constitute a part; to become a partaker or participant; to share; to engage; - usually with into; sometimes with on or upon; as, a ball enters into the body; water enters into a ship; he enters into the plan; to enter into a quarrel; a merchant enters into partnership with some one; to enter upon another's land; the boy enters on his tenth year; to enter upon a task; lead enters into the composition of pewter.
Enter
To penetrate mentally; to consider attentively; - with into.
He is particularly pleased with . . . Sallust for his entering into internal principles of action.
Enter
To come or go into;
The boat entered an area of shallow marshes
Enter
Become a participant; be involved in;
Enter a race
Enter an agreement
Enter a drug treatment program
Enter negotiations
Enter
Register formally as a participant or member;
The party recruited many new members
Enter
Be or play a part of or in;
Elections figure prominently in every government program
How do the elections figure in the current pattern of internal politics?
Enter
Make a record of; set down in permanent form
Enter
Come on stage
Enter
Put or introduce into something;
Insert a picture into the text
Enter
Take on duties or office;
Accede to the throne
Enter
Set out on (an enterprise, subject of study, etc.);
She embarked upon a new career
Common Curiosities
Is interment the same as burial?
Yes, interment is another term for burial, specifically referring to the act of placing a dead body into the ground or a tomb.
What does it mean to inter someone?
To inter someone means to bury their body in a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites.
Can "enter" refer to non-physical spaces?
Yes, "enter" can refer to entering non-physical spaces, such as entering a state of happiness.
What role does interment play in historical research?
Interment practices provide insights into historical societies' social structures, beliefs, and values.
Can animals be interred?
Yes, animals can be interred, especially pets, in pet cemeteries or designated burial spaces.
How can "enter" be used in a technical context?
In a technical context, "enter" can be used to describe the action of inputting data into a computer system or database.
How does culture influence interment and entering practices?
Culture shapes the rituals around burial and the significance of entering physical and metaphorical spaces.
What is the significance of interment practices in different cultures?
Interment practices are significant as they reflect cultural beliefs about death, the afterlife, and the respect shown to the deceased.
How do interment rites vary globally?
Interment rites vary based on religious beliefs, cultural traditions, and local customs, reflecting diverse views on honoring the dead.
Can "enter" be used in a legal context?
Yes, "enter" can be used in a legal context, such as entering into a contract or agreement.
Is "enter" only used for physical entry?
No, "enter" can also be used metaphorically to describe the beginning of a new phase or condition.
How is "enter" used in computing?
In computing, "enter" refers to the act of submitting data through a keyboard or device into a computer system.
Can "inter" have any usage outside of burial contexts?
While primarily associated with burial, "inter" might metaphorically refer to putting something away permanently.
What does it mean to "enter into an agreement"?
To "enter into an agreement" means to formally agree to the terms and conditions of a contract.
What is the process to legally inter someone?
The legal process involves obtaining a death certificate, following local laws regarding burial, and choosing a burial site.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
