exterior
Americanadjective
-
outer; being on the outer side.
the exterior surface; exterior decorations.
- Synonyms:
- superficial, external, outside, outward
- Antonyms:
- interior
-
intended or suitable for outdoor use.
exterior paint.
-
situated or being outside; pertaining to or connected with what is outside.
the exterior territories of a country.
- Synonyms:
- extrinsic, foreign, extraneous, outlying
noun
-
a part, surface, or region that is on the outside
-
the observable outward behaviour or appearance of a person
-
a film or scene shot outside a studio
adjective
-
of, situated on, or suitable for the outside
exterior cleaning
-
coming or acting from without; external
exterior complications
-
of or involving foreign nations
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of exterior
1525–35; < Latin, comparative of exter or exterus on the outside, outward. See ex- 1
Explanation
Something that's exterior is on the outside of some structure or object. An exterior door on a house opens to the outdoors, rather than connecting one room to another. Exterior house paint is made for painting the shingles or siding of your home, not the walls of your living room, and the exterior finish of a car is on the outside. You can also use exterior as a noun, to mean the outside of something: "The exterior of this salad bowl is a weird shade of yellow." Exterior is a Latin word, a comparative of exterus, "on the outside, outward, or foreign."
Vocabulary lists containing exterior
UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #1
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"Building Design and Construction Handbook," Vocabulary from Section 1
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"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 5
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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 ornate exterior, with its tapering towers and multiple facades, has an almost organic quality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
Footage broadcast by Indian news channels showed its exterior badly charred as emergency workers searched the site.
From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026
Dozens of people gathered to take photos and videos of the damage done to the last floor of the apartment block hit, where a balcony's exterior looked partially collapsed.
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
Ferraris are known for roaring engines and bold, angular designs, a far cry from the smooth, rounded exterior of the Luce.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
We stayed there two hours in ecstasy, running through the huge rooms ... and trying to read the exterior inscriptions in the moonlight.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
