How to pronounce external
Say it like ik-STUR-nul. External has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce external. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ik
- STUR
- nul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
External pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ikKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- STURSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
- nulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of external
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: ik-STUR-nul.
What does external mean?
- happening or arising or located outside or beyond some limits or especially surface“the external auditory canal”“external pressures”
- coming from the outside“extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photograph”“relying upon an extraneous income”
- from or between other countries“external commerce”“international trade”
- outward features“he enjoyed the solemn externals of religion”
Where does external come from?
From Late Middle English, from Medieval Latin externus (“outward, external”), from exter/exterus (“on the outside, outward”).
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with external
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of external.
Questions about saying external
How do you pronounce external?
Say ik-STUR-nul. The American pronunciation is /ɪkˈstɝnəl/. In British English it is /ɪkˈstɜːnəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in external?
External has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STUR). Broken into parts: ik · STUR · nul.
Is external pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ɪkˈstɜːnəl/ (ik-STUR-nul).