external

B2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ɛkˈstɜɹ.nəl/ UK /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #9812

Meanings

1

adj
On or coming from the outside of something.

The building's external walls are made of brick.
2

adj
Coming from outside a group, company, or organization.

The company hired an external consultant to review its accounts.
3

adj
Relating to other countries; foreign.

The minister is responsible for the country's external trade.
4

noun
The outward appearance or surface features of something.

We admired the solemn externals of the ceremony.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 adj · relating to other... international outside foreign

Opposites

internal

Word family

Forms externals

Derived forms anteroexternaldorsoexternalexternaliseexternalismexternalistexternalisticexternalityexternalizationexternalize externallyexternalnessextimate

Etymology

From Late Middle English, from Medieval Latin externus (“outward, external”), from exter/exterus (“on the outside, outward”).

externus la-med

View etymology graph ->

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# external

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɛkˈstɜɹ.nəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/
**Frequency rank:** 9812

## Meanings
1. On or coming from the outside of something.
2. Coming from outside a group, company, or organization.
3. Relating to other countries; foreign.
4. The outward appearance or surface features of something.

## Examples
- The building's external walls are made of brick.
- The company hired an external consultant to review its accounts.
- The minister is responsible for the country's external trade.
- We admired the solemn externals of the ceremony.

## Antonyms
- internal

## Derived Forms
- anteroexternal
- dorsoexternal
- externalise
- externalism
- externalist
- externalistic
- externality
- externalization
- externalize
- externally
- externalness
- extimate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: externus
- Affix: ex- - out

## Etymology
From Late Middle English, from Medieval Latin externus (“outward, external”), from exter/exterus (“on the outside, outward”).

## AI Etymology
External comes from Late Middle English, from Medieval Latin externus (“outward, external”), from exter/exterus (“on the outside, outward”). In current use, the main senses are “On or coming from the outside of something” and “Coming from outside a group, company, or organization”.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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external

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