External definition and meaning

External definition: External is used to indicate that something is on the outside of a surface or body, or… | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples

Definition of ’external’

Word Frequency


external


(


ɪkst

ɜ

rn

ə

l



)


1.


adjective


External

is used to indicate that something is on the outside of a surface or body, or that
it exists, happens, or comes from outside.


…a much reduced heat loss through external walls.


externally


adverb


Vitamins can be applied externally to the skin.


2.


adjective



[


ADJ

n

]


External

means involving or intended for foreign countries.


…the commissioner for external affairs.


…Jamaica’s external debt.


externally


adverb


…protecting the value of the dollar both internally and externally.


3.


adjective



[


ADJ

n

]


External

means happening or existing in the world in general and affecting you in some way.


Such events occur only when the external conditions are favorable.


More Synonyms of

external


COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary

. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Video: pronunciation of

external

Word Frequency


external


in American English


(


ɛkˈstɜrnəl




;

ɪkˈstɜrnəl



)


adjective


1.

on or having to do with the outside; outer;

exterior


2.

on, or for use on, the outside of the body


a machine for

external

use only


3.


a.


outwardly


visible


b.

existing

apart

from the mind; material



external

reality


4.


originating

outside; acting or coming from without


an

external

force


5.


a.

for

outward


appearance

or

show

; superficial



external

politeness


b.



external

factors


6.

having to do with foreign countries and

international


affairs


noun


7.

an outside or outward surface or part


8.


[

pl.

]

outward appearance or behavior; superficialities
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms



externally


(

exˈternally

)


adverb

Word origin

ME < L

externus

, outward, external <

exter, exterus

, on the outside, compar. form <

ex

, out of (see

ex-

1


) +

-al

Word Frequency


external


in British English


(


ɪkˈstɜːn

ə

l



)


adjective


1.

of,

situated

on, or

suitable

for the outside;

outer


2.


coming

or acting from without
external evidence from an independent source


3.

of or involving

foreign


nations

; foreign


4.

of, relating to, or

designating

a

medicine

that is

applied

to the outside of the body


5.


anatomy

situated on or near the outside of the body
the external ear


6.


education

denoting

assessment

by

examiners

who are not

employed

at the candidate’s place of study


7.


Australian


and New Zealand

(of a

student

) studying a

university

subject extramurally


8.


philosophy

(of objects, etc) taken to

exist

independently of a

perceiving


mind


noun


9.



(

often plural

)

an external

circumstance

or

aspect

, esp one that is

superficial

or

inessential


10.


Australian


and New Zealand

a student

taking

an

extramural

subject

Collins English Dictionary

. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms



externally


(

exˈternally

)


adverb

Word origin

C15: from Latin

externus

outward, from

exterus

on the outside, from

ex

out of

Examples of ‘external’ in a sentence

external


Read more…


He

will

be

paid

as a

full

external member of the

committee

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)



Continued


risk

assessment

complete

with

internal

and external

audits

are essential

best


practices

to complete any

compliance


programme

.


Computing



(

2010

)



Ivy

grows on these

boundaries

, one of which is the external

wall

of a

neighbouring

house.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2017

)


One is via external controls.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2017

)


If you

want

to

increase

the

performance

of your walls,

adding

external

insulation

is the best

option

, and will make your

home

noticeably warmer.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)


What does it

matter

if external circumstances are

hard

?


Christianity Today



(

2000

)


We are

looking

at ways to

save


heat

by

lining

some external walls.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2009

)


We

put

the external

stuff

to one side.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2014

)


This can cause internal and external

damp

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)


This

stands

us apart from other

clubs

that have

substantial

external

debt

with

significant


annual


interest


payments

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2008

)

Show more…


The

inherent


contradiction

can

lead

to a

rupture

given changing external circumstances.


Lee Harvey


Critical Social Research



(

1990

)


The external walls of many houses consist of two

layers

with a

gap

between them.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2008

)


This applies to both external and internal systems.


Geoffrey A. Moore


INSIDE THE TORNADO: MARKETING STRATEGIES FROM SILICON VALLEY&apos;S CUTTING EDGE



(

2001

)


They have

reduced

their external debts and

boosted

their foreign

currency


reserves

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2014

)



Originally

these were external walls and a great

hall


rose

up through both

storeys

.


Christina Hardyment


Malory: The Life and Times of King Arthur’s Chronicler



(

2005

)


And if they are on the external wall they

keep


sunlight

off the

fabric

of the building.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2014

)


An

independent

external reviewer for

complaints

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)


Libor should in

future

be based on

real


transactions

, subject to independent external audit.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2012

)


The external debt was

restructured

, and most

creditors


settled

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2015

)


The

ministry

of external affairs

said

that the British government was

keen

to

help

it

pursue

other options.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)


External

noise

is one

curse

of public performance whose

effects

the building’s

designers

have

attempted

to

diminish

.


The Times Literary Supplement



(

2008

)



Doctors

have given him internal

stitches


instead

of external ones, which should leave him without a

scar

.


The Sun



(

2012

)


I

feel

through something external my

role

has been changed and

offered

to other

applicants

.


The Sun



(

2011

)


The process of

recommendation

of

awards

is

undertaken

by

boards

of examiners, on which

sit

independent external examiners.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2006

)


I would like to

reassure

you that we… have

engaged

the services of an external independent

pest

control

specialist

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2013

)

Trends of

external

View usage over:

In other languages

external


British English

:


external


ɪkˈstɜːnl

/

ADJECTIVE


External

means happening, coming from, or existing outside a place, person, or area of activity.
…external influences.


American English

:


external


ɪkˈstɜrnəl

/


Arabic

:

خَارِجيّ


Brazilian Portuguese

:

externo


Chinese

:

外部的


Croatian

:

vanjski


Czech

:

externí


Danish

:

ydre


Dutch

:

extern


European Spanish

:


externo


Finnish

:

ulkoinen


French

:


externe


German

:


extern


Greek

:

εξωτερικός


Italian

:


esterno


Japanese

:

外部の


Korean

:

외부의


Norwegian

:

ytre


Polish

:

zewnętrzny


European Portuguese

:


externo


Romanian

:

extern


Russian

:

внешний


Spanish

:


externo


Swedish

:

extern


Thai

:

ซึ่งมาจากภายนอก, ซึ่งเกิดจากภายนอก


Turkish

:

dış


Ukrainian

:

зовнішній


Vietnamese

:

bên ngoài


Translate your text for free

Nearby words of

external

Related terms of

external

Source

Definition of

external

from the

Collins English Dictionary

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question:

1

Score:


0

/

5


beach


or


beech

?

Which version is correct?


populace


or


populous

?

Which version is correct?


who’s


or


whose

?

Drag the correct answer into the box.
Who’s
Whose


there?


tea


or


tee

?

Which version is correct?


berth


or


birth

?

Drag the correct answer into the box.
berth
birth


The yacht has only one


.


Your score:

May 02, 2021

Word of the day
hyena
A hyena is an animal that looks rather like a dog and makes a sound which is similar to a human laugh. Hyenas live in Africa and Asia.


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Scrabble score
for ‘external’:


15

1 2 3

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