external

American  

[ik-stur-nl] / ɪkˈstɜr 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.

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noun

1. the outside; outer surface; exterior.

2. something that is external.

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

external British  

/ 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

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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

Etymology

Origin of external

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

Explanation

If, as a kid, you didn’t get what you wanted on your birthday, you were probably told that external, or outward, things can’t bring happiness. (It’s a noble idea, but it’s still up for debate, at least in some circles.) External contains the prefix ex- meaning “out of.” It shares this prefix with a number of other words including extraterrestrial (meaning “outside of Earth’s limits") and exclude (meaning “keep someone out”). The opposite of external is internal; again, as you’ve probably been told, it’s the internal things that really matter. What we’re wondering is: Does that include the leather interior in our dream convertible?

Example Sentences

Mercedes’ Chinese car sales fell 27% year over year in the first quarter External link.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Aschenbrenner briefly worked as a researcher at ChatGPT-developer OpenAI, before leaving and turning to stock-picking External link, with a focus on companies that stand to benefit from the development of AI technology.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Then there is MP, which restarted the Mountain Pass mine in 2018 External link after it had idled in 2015.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

He also met with Congress more often than his predecessors, according to research External link from Thomas Drechsel, an economic professor at the University of Maryland.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

In the years after Rivonia, the ANC’s External Mission, formerly responsible for fundraising, diplomacy, and establishing a military training program, took up the reins of the organization as a whole.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• extraneous
• foreign