extérieures

Extérieures is the feminine plural form of the French adjective extérieur. It designates what is outside or external relative to something else and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. As a result, it is commonly used in reference to exterior elements, spaces, or aspects.

In architecture, construction, and design, extérieures refers to components or features on the outside of a structure. Typical usages include murs extérieurs (exterior walls), façades extérieures, fenêtres extérieures, and espaces extérieurs such as cour, terrasse, or jardin. The term is often contrasted with intérieurs, which denote interior elements.

In urban planning and landscape contexts, extérieures describes outdoor or external areas and amenities, including aménagements extérieurs (external landscaping), équipements extérieurs (outdoor facilities), and access points located outside. It helps distinguish features that affect the building’s exterior from those inside.

In political and administrative language, extérieures can form part of phrases such as relations extérieures or affaires extérieures, referring to external or foreign affairs and diplomacy. While the common expression for foreign policy is usually affaires étrangères or relations extérieures, extérieures appears in some formal or historical formulations to emphasize external relations.

Etymology wise, extérieures derives from extérieur, from Latin exterior, meaning outside or outer. The form extérieures preserves gender and number agreement with the noun it qualifies.