How to Pronounce External

To pronounce "external", say EXT-ern-al — 3 syllables, IPA /əksˈtɜːnəl/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

external

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying external, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

3

Syllables

8

Letters

/əksˈtɜːnəl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “external”

"external" has 3 syllables: ext-ern-al. It rhymes with infernal and diurnal, if that helps it stick.

What does external mean?

noun

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

adjective

  1. Outside of something; on the exterior.

    “This building has some external pipework.”

  2. Not intrinsic nor essential; accidental; accompanying; superficial.

Antonyms

internal

Hear “external” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with external

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

infernaldiurnaleternalkernelnocturnalmaternalinternalpaternalfraternalsternaljournalurnal

Related words

exogenousinternationaloutsideouteroutwardextrinsicextraneousforeign

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "external"?▾

"External" has 3 syllables: ext · ern · al.

What is the IPA transcription of "external"?▾

The IPA transcription of "external" is /əksˈtɜːnəl/.

What does "external" mean?▾

External: (chiefly in the plural) The exterior; outward features or appearances.

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “external” in the full dictionary →