External
ɪkˈstɜːrnəl
Definitions
3 meaningsSituated or being on the outside; exterior; outward.
ɪkˈstɜːrnəl
Relating to or situated on the outside
The external appearance of the house was quite old.
💡 Simply: Imagine your house. Anything that's not inside, like the walls or the yard, is external. It's anything that's on the outside.
👶 For kids: Something that is on the outside, like the outside of your house.
More Examples
The doctor examined the external wounds on the patient.
The company focused on external marketing to attract new customers.
How It's Used
"The external walls of the building need repainting."
"The company faces external pressures from competitors."
"The patient had an external injury."
Originating from or situated on the outside; not part of the intrinsic nature of a thing; extraneous.
ɪkˈstɜːrnəl
Coming from or relating to a source outside the subject
The company's success was dependent on external investment.
💡 Simply: Imagine problems coming from somewhere else, not from you. External things are things that come from outside you or a situation.
👶 For kids: Something that is coming from the outside to affect something else, like rain is an external factor for a picnic.
More Examples
External pressure forced the government to change its policy.
The student's failure was attributed to external distractions.
How It's Used
"The country faced external threats from neighboring nations."
"External factors, such as a global recession, can impact a company's performance."
"An individual's behavior is influenced by external stimuli."
Something that is external; an outward or visible aspect.
ɪkˈstɜːrnəl
An outward or visible aspect or appearance.
The external of the building was very modern.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, the 'external' is just what you can see on the surface. It’s like the outside shell of something.
👶 For kids: The way something looks on the outside.
More Examples
It's important to consider the external of a product.
Don't judge a book by its external.
How It's Used
"The external of an object may not reveal its true nature."
"The sculptor focused on the external of the statue."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
external affairs
Matters concerning a country's relationships with other countries.
"The ministry of external affairs handles diplomatic relations."
external hard drive
A storage device that is separate from the computer.
"I store all my photos on an external hard drive."
From Late Latin *externus*, meaning 'outer, outward'. It derives from *ex* ('out of, from') and the comparative form *-ternus*. Related to the Latin word *extra* which gives us the word 'extra'.
The word 'external' has been used since the 16th century, evolving from its Latin roots. It was originally used to denote something related to the outside or exterior of something.
Memory tip
Think of the 'ex' meaning 'out' like in 'exit'. External things are outside.
Word Origin
"outward, outward"