externa

IPA/ɪkˈstɜː.nə/
IPA/ekˈstɝː.nə/

externa — adjective

  • externapositive
  • more externacomparative
  • most externasuperlative

1. a Latin adjective meaning 'on the outside' or 'external', used after a noun in t

1.形容詞C2
釋義

a Latin adjective meaning 'on the outside' or 'external', used after a noun in the names of medical conditions and anatomical structures — appearing in terms such as otitis externa (an infection of the outer ear canal) and tunica externa (the outermost layer of a blood vessel).

例句

Dr. Okonkwo diagnosed the swimmer with acute otitis externa after examining her red and swollen ear canal.

postpositive adjective in medical diagnosis name: otitis externa

The anatomy textbook described the tunica externa as the protective outer coat of arteries and veins.

noun + externa structure: tunica externa

同義詞
  • external

    the everyday English equivalent; used before the noun (e.g. 'external ear'), not after it like the Latin 'externa'

  • outer

    a simpler everyday word that describes roughly the same location but is not used in formal medical diagnostic names

反義詞
  • interna

    the Latin opposite meaning 'inner' or 'internal', used the same postpositive way in terms like otitis interna (inner ear infection)

文法句型

noun + externa (e.g. otitis externa, tunica externa)

用法筆記

Unlike most English adjectives, 'externa' always follows the noun it describes — a postpositive position inherited from Latin. The plural form 'externae' (e.g. haemorrhoids externae) is used when the head noun is feminine and plural.

常見錯誤

❌The patient has externa otitis.
✅The patient has otitis externa.
💡'externa' must come after the noun it modifies.
❌She was treated for external otitis.
✅She was treated for otitis externa.
💡The medical term uses the Latin postpositive form; 'external otitis' is the English descriptive equivalent but not the standard diagnostic name.