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
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 Indian Ministry of Exterior Affairs has also been approached for comment.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
Exterior paint costs roughly $35 per gallon, which makes giving your front door a new coat of paint a relatively cheap opportunity.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 24, 2023
The National Exterior Commerce Bank in Mexico estimated that the industry was worth $5 billion before it declined during the coronavirus pandemic.
From New York Times • Mar. 8, 2023
Get recommendations from friends and neighbors, read reviews and confirm that the company is licensed, bonded and insured, says Joe LeVecchi, co-owner of Exterior Medics, an exterior remodeling company in Springfield, Va.
From Washington Post • Jan. 31, 2023
Inasmuch as there does not remain to us a single Exterior or Interior Compartment in any Cathedral or Conventual Church of genuine Saxon Architecture, the comparative illustration of this Period is rendered impossible.
From The Seven Periods of English Architecture Defined and Illustrated by Sharpe, Edmund
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.
