external

== English == === Alternative forms === externall (obsolete) === Etymology === From Late Middle English, from Medieval Latin externus (“outward, external”), from exter/exterus (“on the outside, outward”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/, /ɛkˈstɜː.nəl/ (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ɛkˈstɝ.nəl/, /ɪkˈstɝ.nəl/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/, /ekˈstɜː.nəl/ Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)nəl === Adjective === external (comparative more external, superlative most external) Outside of something; on the exterior. (anatomy) Situated near or toward the surface of the body. (pharmacology, relational) Relating to or denoting a medicine or similar substance for use on the outside of the body. Capable of being perceived outwardly. Having merely the outward appearance of something. Synonym: superficial Not intrinsic or essential. Synonyms: accidental, accompanying; see also Thesaurus:extrinsic Provided by something or someone outside of the entity (object, group, company etc.) considered. Relating to or connected with foreign nations or institutions. Synonym: foreign Having existence independent of the mind. (education) For or concerning students registered with and taking the examinations of a university but not resident there. (computing, of a hardware) Not contained in the main computer. Synonym: peripheral (computing, of storage) Using a disk or tape drive rather than the main memory. ==== Antonyms ==== internal ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === external (plural externals) (usually in the plural) The exterior; outward features or appearances. Inessential or superficial features. Outward appearance. (programming, in the C language) A variable that is defined in the source code but whose value comes from some external source. === References === “external”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. “external”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. === Further reading === “external”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “external”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “external”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.