externos

Externos is the plural form of externo in Spanish, functioning both as an adjective meaning outside or external and as a noun referring to people who are not part of a given group. As an adjective, externo describes something that is located on or related to the outside; as a noun, externos can denote outsiders, visitors, contractors, or staff not belonging to the core organization.

Etymology and general usage: externo comes from Latin externus, opposite of interno (internal). The term is widely used across domains to distinguish what is outside, foreign, or not intrinsic to a system, body, or organization. Common collocations include estructura externa (external structure), paredes externas (external walls), and servicios externos (external services).

Contexts and examples: In business and organizational contexts, externos often refer to contractors, consultants, or guests who operate outside the central team. In education and healthcare, the word can describe students or professionals who work temporarily at a hosting institution, such as externos de medicina (extern medical students) or externas in training programs, in contrast with internos, who are residents or employees of the host institution. In sports, externos can describe players not regularly aligned with the primary squad, or positions associated with outer or wing roles, depending on the discipline. In architecture and anatomy, externo is used to denote the outer part or surface, as in órgano externo (external organ).

Computing and technical usage may retain the English term extern or use externo to refer to external declarations or variables in some Spanish-language texts. Variants and related terms include externo vs interno, exterior, and externidad.

See also: interno, exterior, externidad.