English · Word Candidate

external

/ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: externals

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Outside of something; on the exterior.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

ở ngoài một thứ gì đó, ở bề mặt

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

This building has some external pipework.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Outside of something; on the exterior. — Situated near or toward the surface of the body.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

ở ngoài một thứ gì đó, ở bề mặt — gần hoặc hướng tới bề mặt cơ thể

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The exterior; outward features or appearances. — Inessential or superficial features.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

bề ngoài, đặc điểm hoặc vẻ ngoài — đặc điểm không cần thiết hoặc bề mặt

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

To a non-Christian who has never experienced but only observed the externals of Christianity, it appears to be merely another spiritual system, but to a person who has left one of the other religions and embraced the Christian faith, it is most definitely The Way, and all else pales to insignificanc

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The exterior; outward features or appearances. — Outward appearance.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

bề ngoài, vẻ ngoài

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

They had been such declared, such personal enemies, that, even in a court, it seemed wonderful how a decent external could be given to their reconciliation.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “external” mean?

Outside of something; on the exterior.

Is “external” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.