“Built-in” or “In-built”
Is there any difference between using in-built or built-in? Is one more correct than the other, or does it depend on the context, or ”house style”?
This oven comes with a built-in extractor fan.
This oven comes with an in-built extractor fan.
This is one of those ones where Google, whatever faults it might have, does tell you something significant:
"built-in extractor fan" 643,000 results "in-built extractor fan" 137 results
Subjectively, from the first ten results, it looks like the "in-built" hits are largely from the UK. I've never even heard of an "in-built extractor fan".
Just at a guess I would think that "in-built" would go with "ability", so I tried it on Google:
"built-in ability" 216,000 results "in-built ability" 75,500 results
Actually, this is written "inbuilt" and not "in-built".
It is an old (1923) chiefly British synonym for built-in.
- Constructed as part of a larger unit; not detachable: a built-in cabinet.
- Forming a permanent or essential element or quality: a built-in escape clause
Example:
"Of course, even the most able driver in the most dynamically competent car can sometimes find his or herself in a situation where a collision is inevitable, so with this in mind the Spark was designed with high levels of passive safety inbuilt from the outset."
—Automotive Headlines