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

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
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, "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
Joe Vallely, former director of government relations at Lockheed Martin, is the new vice president of external affairs at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville.

— lucy berry, AL.com, "McDonald's to host hiring event at restaurants in North Alabama", 18 June 2017
There has been growing public anger at the government's initial response to the disaster's aftermath and reports that external paneling put up during a recent renovation contributed to the flames' rapid spread.

— Bloomberg.com, "The Latest: UK's May Meets Fire Survivors, Faces Criticism", 17 June 2017
The presence of fossilized skin can’t be taken as an indication that the preservation of these animals was pristine, or completely represents the entirety of their external appearance.

— brian switek, Scientific American Blog Network, "Long Live the Fuzzy T. rex", 14 June 2017
Barretto joined the Harris Theater executive team as vice president of marketing and communications in 2015, and in 2016 oversaw the marketing, development and community engagement departments as executive vice president of external affairs.

— morgan greene, chicagotribune.com, "Patricia Barretto named interim president and CEO of Harris Theater", 7 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

play

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