different between outwards vs external

English

Etymology

From Middle English outwardes, from Old English ?tweardes; equivalent to outward +? -s. Cognate with German auswärts.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?a?tw?dz/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?a?tw?dz/
• (General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /?æotw?dz/

Adverb

outwards (comparative more outwards, superlative most outwards)

1. From the interior toward the exterior; in an outward direction.

   • Light falling on them is not reflected outwards.

2. (obsolete) Outwardly; (merely) on the surface.
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Matthew XXIII:

     Wo be to you scrybes, and pharises ypocrites, for ye are lyke unto paynted tombes which appere beautyfull outwardes: but are within full off deed mens bones and of all fylthynes.

Translations

Anagrams

• draws out, outdraws

Middle English

Adverb

outwards

1. Alternative form of outwardes

English

Etymology

From Middle French externe + -al, from Latin externus, from exter, exterus (“on the outside, outward”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?ks?t?n?l/, /?ks?t?n?l/, /?ks?t?n?l/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?ks?t??n?l/, /?ks?t??n?l/, /?ks?t??n?l/
• Rhymes: -??(?)n?l
• Hyphenation: ex?ter?nal

Adjective

external (comparative more external, superlative most external)

1. Outside of something; on the exterior.
2. Not intrinsic nor essential; accidental; accompanying; superficial.
   • 1850, Richard Chenevix Trench, Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord

     The external circumstances are greatly different.

3. Foreign; relating to or connected with foreign nations.

4. (anatomy) Away from the mesial plane of the body; lateral.
5. Provided by something or someone outside of the entity (object, group, company etc.) considered.

Synonyms

• (not intrinsic nor essential): See also Thesaurus:extrinsic

Antonyms

• internal

Related terms

Translations

Noun

external (plural externals)

1. (chiefly in the plural) The exterior; outward features or appearances.
2. (programming) In the C programming language, a variable that is defined in the source code but whose value comes from some external source.

Further reading

• external in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• external in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• external at OneLook Dictionary Search