outer

adjective

out·​er ˈau̇-tər How to pronounce outer (audio)
1
: existing independent of mind : objective
outer reality
2
a
: situated farther out
the outer limits
b
: being away from a center
the planet's outer rings
c
: situated or belonging on the outside
an outer covering

Examples of outer in a Sentence

the outer edges of the roof The package's outer covering was damaged. I removed the outer skin of the onion. Her inner turmoil was masked by an outer calm.
Recent Examples on the Web Use this to your advantage by steadily guiding the tuna higher in the water column on the outer pass and then reeling back down to gain line when the fish passes close to the boat. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 7 Mar. 2024 Another popular material is nylon which is most often used for the outer layers of a coat. Casey Clark, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 In 2018, an outer covering of an engine cowling that broke loose on an earlier version of a 737 jet shattered a window on a Southwest Airlines flight. Gregory Wallace, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Unlike conventional smart lights, the T1M is a dual-purpose fixture, featuring both an inner core and an outer ring, offering the potential for visual notifications from that secondary option, based on smart home automations and rules. Paul Lamkin, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The home’s outer structure has wood shake roofing / shingles. Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Here's a bralette that's sewn with an outer layer of dainty lace that's super pretty to look at—and a breeze to put on with its anti-slide zipper closure. Malia Griggs, Glamour, 28 Feb. 2024 The home’s outer structure has composition shingles on the roof. Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 Weather permitting, people in the path of a total solar eclipse can see the sun's corona, the outer atmosphere, which is otherwise usually obscured by the bright face of the sun. Bill Bowden, arkansasonline.com, 18 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'outer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from out entry 4 + -er entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outer was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near outer

Cite this Entry

“Outer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

outer

adjective
out·​er ˈau̇t-ər How to pronounce outer (audio)
1
: located on the outside or farther out
the outer wall
2
: being away from a center
the outer planets of the solar system

More from Merriam-Webster on outer

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