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external

ex·ter·nal

UK/ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ US/ɛkˈstɜː.nəl/ fairly common

adjective

1.

happening or arising or located outside or beyond some limits or especially surface

  • “the external auditory canal”
  • “external pressures”
Antonyms
2.

coming from the outside

  • “extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photograph”
  • “relying upon an extraneous income”
  • “disdaining outside pressure groups”
Similar
3.

from or between other countries

  • “external commerce”
  • “international trade”
  • “developing nations need outside help”
Similar
4.

purely outward or superficial

  • “external composure”
  • “an external concern for reputation” A.R.Gurney,Jr
Similar

noun

1.

outward features

  • “he enjoyed the solemn externals of religion”

Origin

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

Phrases

  • external acoustic meatus
  • external auditory canal
  • external auditory meatus
  • external carotid artery
  • external cause
  • external condom
  • external conflict
  • external coupling

Related words

Broader terms

See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.