Exterior

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Pronunciation: /ɪkˈstɪəɹɪə/

Definitions

1. The outer surface or outside part of something that can be seen or touched ; the outward appearance or aspect of a person or object, often referring to visual impressions
2. Refers to the external side or the surface layer of an item or structure ; describes how something looks on the outside, including style or presentation
3. Denotes the outside covering or external portion of a physical thing ; relates to the way an entity appears from the outside, including its visual features

Etymology: Latin "exterior" was the comparative of "exter," meaning "outer" or "outside," so the word carries a built-in comparison: something that is more outward than something else. Latin speakers formed "exterior" from the same root that gave "exter" its sense, and the Latin adjective was used for whatever lay further out. English took the word directly from Latin, and in English it did what many Latin comparatives did, settling into a plain adjective meaning "outer" or "on the outside." The noun sense, the outward surface or appearance of a thing, grew naturally from the adjective. A building's exterior is its outer face; a person's exterior is the manner they present to the world, which is why the word can describe style as readily as physical surfaces. The same outward-facing idea that made the Latin comparative useful still shapes how English speakers use it today, whether they are talking about a house or a calm expression.

Synonyms: outer, external, outside, surface, outward

Antonyms: interior, internal, inside, inner, inward