außen

Außen is a German word whose core meaning relates to outside, exterior, or external. It functions primarily as an adverb indicating location, as in von außen or nach außen, and also serves as the basis for a wide range of compounds that describe external aspects or relations with the outside world.

In political and administrative language, Außen- forms are common. The term appears in words such as Außenpolitik, meaning foreign policy, and in various terms referring to external relations. The federal foreign ministry of Germany is officially Auswärtiges Amt; the colloquial idea of an “Außenministerium” is widely understood, though it is not the official name. In everyday usage, related compounds describe external parts or surfaces, such as Außenseite (outer side), Außenfläche (exterior surface), and Außenhaut (outer shell). The term Außenwelt is used in philosophy and psychology to denote the external world, contrasted with Innenwelt (the inner world).

Etymology: Außen derives from the German adjective außen meaning outside and is used as a productive element in forming nouns and adjectives that denote externality or relations with the outside.

See also: Außenpolitik, Außenseite, Außenfläche, Außenhaut, Außenwelt, Innenwelt, Auswärtiges Amt.