exterior

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adjective ex·te·ri·or \ ek-ˈstir-ē-ər \

Definition of exterior

1 :being on an outside surface :situated on the outside

2 :observable by outward signs

his exterior quietness is belied by an occasional nervous twitch
—Current Biography

3 :suitable for use on outside surfaces

—

exteriorly

adverb

See exterior defined for English-language learners

See exterior defined for kids

Examples of exterior in a Sentence

the house's exterior walls badly need to be painted

Recent Examples of exterior from the Web

Speakers mounted on its exterior blared Maoist propaganda and incitements to revolution (prompting the colonial authorities to retaliate with Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, played from speakers mounted on the walls of the nearby Hong Kong Hilton).

— liam fitzpatrick / hong kong, Time, "Hong Kong Businessman and Socialite David Tang Dies Aged 63," 30 Aug. 2017
The firm Arquitectonica will handle interior and exterior design duties.

— rene rodriguez, miamiherald, "Anyone can buy one of these condos, but only FIU students, staff can live there," 15 Aug. 2017
For 18 straight years, the honor has been awarded to the new or remodeled baseball stadium with the best combination of site selection, exterior appearance, architectural design and fan amenities.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Dunkin' Donuts Park Wins BallParks.com Honor," 8 Aug. 2017
If dangerous materials are found, options range from removing them to developing an exterior sprinkler system to cascade water onto the outer walls.

— Washington Post, "London blaze makes US building owners mindful of fire threat," 21 July 2017
Oklahoma fire safety consultant John Valiulis wrote in a 2015 research report on the flammability of exterior walls.

— jeff martin, The Seattle Times, "AP Exclusive: US hotel, NFL arena may sport flammable panels," 20 July 2017
Oklahoma fire safety consultant John Valiulis wrote in a 2015 research report on the flammability of exterior walls.

— juliet linderman, Washington Post, "US buildings, NFL stadium check panels amid fears of fire," 20 July 2017
Matteson has equipped Christensen's car with video equipment that provides forward, rear and exterior perspectives.

— dennis sullivan, Daily Southtown, "Local officers to compete in stock car race for Special Olympics," 19 July 2017
Therefore, owners are usually prohibited from changing the exterior appearance of homes, or altering common area, without association permission.

— kelly g. richardson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "HOA Homefront: Before you paint garage doors purple, check out association rules," 15 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exterior.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of exterior

Latin, comparative of exter, exterus being on the outside, foreign, from ex

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First Known Use: 1528

See Words from the same year

exterior Synonyms

Synonyms

outer, external, outside, outward

Antonyms

inner, inside, interior, internal, inward

Related Words

outermost, outlying, outmost; superficial, surface

Near Antonyms

inmost, innermost; mid, middle, midmost

exterior

noun

Definition of exterior

1 a :an exterior part or surface :outside

b :outward manner or appearance

2 :a representation (as on stage or film) of an outdoor scene; also :a scene filmed outdoors

See exterior defined for English-language learners

Examples of exterior in a Sentence

The building has a rather plain exterior.
the exterior of the tooth consists of very hard enamel

Recent Examples of exterior from the Web

A few frayed Japanese lanterns hang on the weathered exterior that looks out onto 1st Street, just east of Mariachi Plaza, and a sign on the door reminds anyone coming for the crackling tempura that the place closes nightly at eight.

— patric kuh, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Last Bento-Ya in Boyle Heights Transports Diners to the Neighborhood’s Past," 25 Aug. 2017
However, when paired with white and light natural wood, the color comes off as energetic and vibrant, which makes for a welcoming statement on the exterior of a home.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "Behr's First-Ever Color of the Year Will Help You De-Stress at Home," 9 Aug. 2017
These mounds may appear mundane, but beneath their earthy exterior is a core of ice.

— lacy schley, Discover Magazine, "That Word You Heard: Pingo," 7 Aug. 2017
What's most unique about the property is its vineyard-like exterior foreshadowing a modern and bohemian interior.

— marissa miller, Teen Vogue, "Cara Delevingne and Sister Poppy Buy Jared Leto’s Los Angeles Home," 7 Aug. 2017
On its exterior, stonework lines the first-floor with an arched opening to its port cochére that has two detached garages, creating privacy important to homeowners George and Paloma Thacker.

— madeleine winer, The Courier-Journal, "Coastal meets Southern rustic in this elegant Goshen estate," 20 July 2017
The Arconic website stated that the Browns stadium used 100,000 square feet of the bright silver aluminum composite material in its exterior.

— juliet linderman, Washington Post, "US buildings, NFL stadium check panels amid fears of fire," 20 July 2017
The brighter interior and more landscaped exterior are designed to reflect today’s coastal culture and Southern California lifestyle.

— phil diehl, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Carlsbad mall makeover steams ahead," 13 July 2017
While no one was seriously injured in the crash, Miller's car broke through the exterior wall of the house and then into Ken's study area, which looked in better times like the below:

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "A Drunk Driver Crashed Into the Fixer Upper "Three Little Pigs" House," 10 July 2017

First Known Use of exterior

1591

exterior Synonyms

Synonyms

face, outside, shell, skin, surface, veneer

Antonyms

inside, interior

Related Words

facade (also façade), front, top; cover, covering, facing; appearance, disguise, guise, mask, semblance, show

EXTERIOR Defined for English Language Learners

exterior

play

adjective

Definition of exterior for English Language Learners

: located on the outside of something
: suited for use on outside surfaces
: shown on the outside or surface

exterior

noun

Definition of exterior for English Language Learners

: an outer part or surface
: the way someone looks or seems to other people : a person's outward appearance

EXTERIOR Defined for Kids

exterior

play

adjective ex·te·ri·or \ ek-ˈstir-ē-ər \

Definition of exterior for Students

:external

exterior

noun

Definition of exterior for Students

1 :an external part or surface

the building's exterior

2 :the way someone appears

His tough exterior hides a soft heart.

Medical Dictionary

exterior

play

adjective ex·te·ri·or \ ek-ˈstir-ē-ər \

medical Definition of exterior

:being on an outside surface :situated on the outside

—

exteriorly

adverb

Learn More about exterior

See words that rhyme with exterior Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for exterior Spanish Central: Translation of exterior Nglish: Translation of exterior for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of exterior for Arabic speakers

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exterior Synonyms

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exterior

Definition of exterior

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exterior Synonyms

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EXTERIOR Defined for English Language Learners

exterior

Definition of exterior for English Language Learners

exterior

Definition of exterior for English Language Learners

EXTERIOR Defined for Kids

exterior

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exterior

Definition of exterior for Students

Medical Dictionary

exterior

medical Definition of exterior

exteriorly

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