external
Noun · AdjectiveOpen English WordNet
Adjective (4)
- happening or arising or located outside or beyond some limits or especially surface“the external auditory canal”“external pressures”Opposite internalSimilar outside, outerRelates to position, spatial relationSee also outside
- coming from the outside“extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photograph”“relying upon an extraneous income”“disdaining outside pressure groups”Synonyms: extraneousoutsideOpposite intrinsicSimilar extrinsic
- from or between other countries“external commerce”“international trade”“developing nations need outside help”Synonyms: internationaloutsideOpposite domesticSimilar foreign
- purely outward or superficial“external composure”“an external concern for reputation — A.R.Gurney,Jr.”Opposite inwardSimilar outward
Noun (1)
- outward features“he enjoyed the solemn externals of religion”Type of feature, characteristic
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Adjective outside of something
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: L. externus, fr. exter, exterus, on the outside, outward. See Exterior.
1. Outward; exterior; relating to the outside, as of a body; being without; acting from without; — opposed to internal; as, the external form or surface of a body.
Of all external things,... She [Fancy] forms imaginations, aery shapes.— John Milton
2. Outside of or separate from ourselves; Metaphysics separate from the perceiving mind.
3. Outwardly perceptible; visible; physical or corporeal, as distinguished from mental or moral.
Her virtues graced with external gifts.— William Shakespeare
4. Not intrinsic nor essential; accidental; accompanying; superficial.
The external circumstances are greatly different.— Abp. Richard Chenevix Trench
5. Foreign; relating to or connected with foreign nations; as, external trade or commerce; the external relations of a state or kingdom.
6. Anatomy Away from the mesial plane of the body; lateral.
External angles. Geometry See under Angle.
Something external or without; outward part; that which makes a show, rather than that which is intrinsic; visible form; — usually in the plural.
Adam was then no less glorious in his externals— Robert South
God in externals could not place content.— Alexander Pope
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54