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Synonyms

exterior

American  
[ik-steer-ee-er] / ɪkˈstɪər i ər /

adjective

  1. outer; being on the outer side.

    the exterior surface; exterior decorations.
    Synonyms:
    superficial, external, outside, outward
    Antonyms:
    interior

  2. intended or suitable for outdoor use.

    exterior paint.

  3. situated or being outside; pertaining to or connected with what is outside.

    the exterior territories of a country.
    Synonyms:
    extrinsic, foreign, extraneous, outlying

noun

  1. the outer surface or part; outside.

    Synonyms:
    face
    Antonyms:
    interior

  2. outward form or appearance.

    She has a placid exterior, but inside she is tormented.
    Synonyms:
    aspect, mien

  3. Mathematics. the collection of points not contained in the closure of a given set.

exterior British  
/ ɪkˈstɪərɪə /

noun

  1. a part, surface, or region that is on the outside

  2. the observable outward behaviour or appearance of a person

  3. a film or scene shot outside a studio

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. of, situated on, or suitable for the outside

    exterior cleaning

  2. coming or acting from without; external

    exterior complications

  3. of or involving foreign nations

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • exteriorly adverb

Etymology

Origin of exterior

1525–35; < Latin, comparative of exter or exterus on the outside, outward. See ex- 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The exterior of the beloved Art Deco building won’t change, Marks said.

From Los Angeles Times

But the team asked Harp to assess - by looking at their style and exterior - if these properties were likely to have been built during a period when Flaming Alamos had been on sale.

From BBC

In Mount Hood: The exterior of the Timberline Lodge was filmed to represent the Overlook Hotel in “The Shining,” with Jack Nicholson.

From The Wall Street Journal

While the daytime host complimented her look, Huger said her exterior is “not a reflection of what God has done for me.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Unfortunately, no. The original owners named the inn after the paint color they used on the exterior.”

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.