external

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

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

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

external ear
the outer part of the ear that collects sound and directs it inward

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

External, recorded from late Middle English, derives from Latin exterus, meaning “outer.” The same Latin word also underlies exterior and, through its superlative extremus, extreme.

Etymology

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

externus la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# 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
- Describing Qualities

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