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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

external en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ɛkˈstɜɹ.nəl/ (Canada, General-American)
  • /ɪkˈstɜɹ.nəl/ (Canada, General-American)
  • /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ (Australia)
  • /ekˈstɜː.nəl/ (Australia)
  • (California) audio
  • /ɛkˈstɜː.nəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. Outside of something; on the exterior.
    • This building has some external pipework.
    • Her virtues graced with external gifts. 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:
    • Of all external things, […] / She [Fancy] forms imaginations, aery shapes. 1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
  2. Outside of something; on the exterior. ▸ Situated near or toward the surface of the body.
  3. (relational) Outside of something; on the exterior. ▸ Relating to or denoting a medicine or similar substance for use on the outside of the body.
  4. Capable of being perceived outwardly. ▸ Having merely the outward appearance of something.
  5. Capable of being perceived outwardly. ▸ Not intrinsic or essential.
    • The external circumstances are greatly different. 1850, Richard Chenevix Trench, Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord:
  6. Provided by something or someone outside of the entity (object, group, company etc.) considered.
    • external authority, external force
  7. Relating to or connected with foreign nations or institutions.
    • external trade or commerce; the external relations of a state or kingdom
  8. Having existence independent of the mind.
    • external reality
  9. For or concerning students registered with and taking the examinations of a university but not resident there.
    • external degrees
  10. (of a hardware) Not contained in the main computer.
  11. (of storage) Using a disk or tape drive rather than the main memory.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
externall alternative, obsolete lexicographic
more external Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most external Degree=Sup lexicographic

Antonyms

internal

Deriveds

external student · external link · externalism · external ear · extimate · posteroexternal · external degree · externality · external auditory meatus · external carotid artery · external condom · externalize · external conflict · external examiner · nonexternal · anteroexternal · external genitalia · external fertilization · externally · externalise · semiexternal · externalness · dorsoexternal · external urethral orifice · external sandhi · external hemorrhoid · external oblique · external risk · external oblique muscle · externalization · external cause · external auditory canal · external acoustic meatus · external iliac artery · external stimulus · external world · externalistic · external maxillary artery · externalist · external coupling

Synonyms

accompanying · foreign · accidental · external · peripheral · extrinsic · extraneous · accidental · adscititious · superficial

Translations (74)

fo ytri (outside of something) · nl uiterlijk (outside of something) · fa بیگانه (outside of something) · fr externe (outside of something) · sk externý (outside of something) · fi ulkonainen (outside of something) · da ekstern (outside of something) · ca externa (outside of something) · sh ìzvanjskī (outside of something) · mi o waho (outside of something) · be зне́шні (outside of something) · sh vànjskī (outside of something) · sh èkstērnī (outside of something) · hy արտաքին (outside of something) · de außen- (outside of something) · de extern (outside of something) · cmn 外部的 (outside of something) · ko 외부의 (outside of something) · de äußerlich (outside of something) · ja 外部の (outside of something) · ota ظاهر (outside of something) · pl zewnętrzny (outside of something) · it esterno (outside of something) · eo ekstera (outside of something) · sv utvändig (outside of something) · sv extern (outside of something) · oc extèrne (outside of something) · fy uterlik (outside of something) · be во́нкавы (outside of something) · fi ulkoinen (outside of something) · eo malena (outside of something) · kk тысқары (outside of something) · grc ἐξώτερος (outside of something) · sv yttre (outside of something) · el εξωτερικός (outside of something) · cs vnější (outside of something) · ga imeachtrach (outside of something) · io extera (outside of something) · ru нару́жный (outside of something) · uk зо́внішній (outside of something) · nl uitwendig (outside of something) · fi ulko- (outside of something) · ar خَارِجِيّ (outside of something) · ru вне́шний (outside of something) · da udvendig (outside of something) · ka გარეგანი (outside of something) · sk vonkajší (outside of something) · izh ulkopooliin (outside of something) · te బహిర్గత (outside of something) · pih ekstirnal (outside of something) · fi ulkopuolinen (outside of something) · la exter (outside of something) · gl externo (outside of something) · la externus (outside of something) · mi a waho (outside of something) · ja 外側の (outside of something) · fy útwindich (outside of something) · fy ekstern (outside of something) · da udvortes (outside of something) · fa بیرونی (outside of something) · ca extern (outside of something) · ro extern (outside of something) · hu külső (outside of something) · oc extèrna (outside of something) · mi mōwaho (outside of something) · pt externo (outside of something) · es externo (outside of something) · ur بیرونی (outside of something) · bg въ́ншен (outside of something) · ka გარეთა (outside of something) · is ytri (outside of something) · mnc ᡨᡠᠯᡝᡵᡤᡳ (outside of something) · ka გარე (outside of something) · cs externí (outside of something)

external en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ɛkˈstɜɹ.nəl/ (Canada, General-American)
  • /ɪkˈstɜɹ.nəl/ (Canada, General-American)
  • /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ (Australia)
  • /ekˈstɜː.nəl/ (Australia)
  • (California) audio
  • /ɛkˈstɜː.nəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. (plural-normally) The exterior; outward features or appearances. ▸ Inessential or superficial features.
    • To a non-Christian who has never experienced but only observed the externals of Christianity, it appears to be merely another spiritual system, but to a person who has left one of the other religions and embraced the Christian faith, it is most definitely The Way, and all else pales to insignificance. 1979 December 22, S. J. Harris, “Life And Spirit”, in Gay Community News, volume 2, number 22, page 5:
  2. (plural-normally) The exterior; outward features or appearances. ▸ Outward appearance.
    • He was indeed a creature who by externals at all events had more in common with another genus than with that humanity among which fate had cast him, and his familiar nickname of "The Toad" crudely indicated what that species might be. 1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
    • They had been such declared, such personal enemies, that, even in a court, it seemed wonderful how a decent external could be given to their reconciliation. 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXV, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 298:
  3. (in the C language) A variable that is defined in the source code but whose value comes from some external source.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
externals Number=Plur lexicographic
externall alternative, obsolete lexicographic