external

[ik-stur-nl]

adjective

1. of or relating to the outside or outer part; outer.

   an external surface.

   Synonyms: exterior, outermost
   Antonyms: internal

2. Medicine/Medical.,  to be applied to the outside of a body, as a remedy.

   for external use only.

3. situated or being outside something; acting or coming from without.

   external influences.

   Antonyms: internal

4. pertaining to the outward or visible appearance or show.

   external acts of worship.

5. pertaining to or concerned with foreign countries.

   external affairs;

   external commerce.

6. Zoology, Anatomy.,  on the side farthest from the body, the median line, or the center of a radially symmetrical form.

7. Metaphysics.,  of or relating to the world of things, considered as independent of the perceiving mind.

   external world.

noun

1. the outside; outer surface; exterior.

2. something that is external.

3. externals, external features, circumstances, etc.; outward appearance; superficialities.

external

/ ɪkˈstɜːnəl /

adjective

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

2. coming or acting from without

   external evidence from an independent source

3. of or involving foreign nations; foreign

4. of, relating to, or designating a medicine that is applied to the outside of the body

5. anatomy situated on or near the outside of the body

   the external ear

6. education denoting assessment by examiners who are not employed at the candidate's place of study

7. (of a student) studying a university subject extramurally

8. philosophy (of objects, etc) taken to exist independently of a perceiving mind

noun

1. (often plural) an external circumstance or aspect, esp one that is superficial or inessential

2. a student taking an extramural subject

Other Word Forms

• externally adverb
• nonexternal adjective
• nonexternally adverb
• quasi-external adjective
• quasi-externally adverb
• semiexternal adjective
• semiexternally adverb
• subexternal adjective
• subexternally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of external¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; equivalent to extern + -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of external¹

C15: from Latin externus outward, from exterus on the outside, from ex out of

Example Sentences

“What is real is not the external form, but the essence of things,” Brancusi famously said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Even last year,, external Chappell, rarely one to overpraise English batting, grouped Crawley with Root and Harry Brook as England's key Ashes batters.

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The leaked memo was authored by Michael Prescott, who previously acted as an external advisor to the BBC on editorial matters.

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Caroline Daniel, who along with Prescott, also used to be an external editorial adviser, was asked if she thought her former colleague's memo was biased.

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The idea that a sportsbook would work with an external company, and pay fees on large amounts of volume, didn’t make sense, he said.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• extraneous 
• foreign