external

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adjective ex·ter·nal \ek-ˈstər-n^əl\

Definition of external

1a : capable of being perceived outwardly external signs of a diseaseb (1) : having merely the outward appearance of something : superficial (2) : not intrinsic or essential external circumstances
2a : of, relating to, or connected with the outside or an outer part the building's external featuresb : applied or applicable to the outside a lotion for external use
3a (1) : situated outside, apart, or beyond; specifically : situated near or toward the surface of the body (2) : arising or acting from outside an external forceb : of or relating to dealings or relationships with foreign countriesc : having existence independent of the mind external reality

externally

play \ek-ˈstər-n^əl-ē\ adverb

See external defined for English-language learners

See external defined for kids

Examples of external in a Sentence

the external features of the building
the external signs of the disease

Recent Examples of external from the Web

And the body support resembles an external rib cage with hard and soft components providing both comfort and the ability to sense the arm’s load through pressure on the torso.

— matthew hutson, Science | AAAS, "Watch this robotic appendage give humans a third arm," 17 July 2017
Verizon says about 6 million customer accounts were made publicly available when an employee of Nice Systems put information into a cloud storage area and permitted external access to the information.

— jessica guynn, The Courier-Journal, "Verizon data from 6 million users leaked online," 12 July 2017
Two external free agents believed to be of interest to the Heat: Sacramento small forward Rudy Gay and Toronto power forward Patrick Patterson.

— barry jackson, miamiherald, "Heat loses out on Hayward, now turns to Plan B," 4 July 2017
Bob Citrullo, executive director of the Humane Educational Society, says one of the dogs is in critical condition because of poor nutrition as well as internal and external parasites.

— CBS News, "Couple accused of locking child in room, hoarding dead animals in freezer," 27 June 2017
Under California’s whistleblower law, an employer may not prohibit an employee from reporting to internal or external officials employer activity the employee reasonably believes violates a law or regulation or punish an employee for doing so.

— dan eaton, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Employers are entitled to their employees’ loyalty – to a point," 25 June 2017
Hunt will interview internal and external candidates over the next month, but the club isn’t expected to announce a hire until training camp begins in late July.

— terez a. paylor, kansascity.com, "Chiefs’ firing of GM at this time of year ‘unprecedented,’ could complicate new hire," 23 June 2017
Theresa Zawacki, a senior policy adviser to Louisville Forward, said New Roots and the Fresh Stop Markets have received external agency funding from the city's budget in the past.

— bailey loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "'Left behind': How Louisville and nonprofits are trying to put an end to food deserts," 20 June 2017
External side-view mirrors will disappear as digital camera images migrate to interior screens, similar to those that rearview cameras use now.

— chester dawson, WSJ, "Your Next Car May Be a Living Room on Wheels," 19 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of external

Latin externus external, from exter — more at exterior

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First Known Use: 1542

See Words from the same year

external

noun ex·ter·nal

Definition of external

: something that is external: such asa : an outer partb : an external feature or aspect —usually used in plural

First Known Use of external

circa 1635

EXTERNAL Defined for English Language Learners

external

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adjective

Definition of external for English Language Learners

: located, seen, or used on the outside or surface of something
: coming from outside
: existing or occurring outside your mind

EXTERNAL Defined for Kids

external

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adjective ex·ter·nal \ek-ˈstər-n^əl\

Definition of external for Students

: situated on or relating to the outside : outside

Medical Dictionary

external

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adjective ex·ter·nal \ek-ˈstərn-^əl\

Medical Definition of external

1: capable of being perceived outwardly : bodily external signs of a disease
2a: situated at, on, or near the outside an external protective covering an external muscleb: directed toward the outside : having an outside object external perception eyesight and the other external sensesc: used by applying to the outside an external lotion
3a (1): situated near or toward the surface of the body; also : situated away from the mesial plane the external condyle of the humerus (2): arising or acting from outside : having an outside origin external causes external stimulib: of, relating to, or consisting of something outside the mind : having existence independent of the mind sensations aroused by external phenomena external reality