LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)

exter

exter (feminine extera, neuter exterum, comparative exterior, superlative extrēmus or extimus)
Classical[ˈɛk.stɛr]Ecclesiastical[ˈɛk.ster]
extimus

Meaning

  1. adjectiveon the outside, outward, external, outer, far, remote
    Belgae ab extremis Galliae finibus oriuntur; pertinent ad inferiorem partem fluminis Rheni;The territory of the Belgae reaches from the edges of the borders of Gaul towards the lower part of the Rhine River.c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de bello Gallico 1.1
  2. adjectiveof another country; foreign, strange
    [...] Et nōs fās extera quaerere rēgna.“[It is] right for us, too, to seek a foreign realm.” (The context can be understood as someplace “external to” or “far from” one’s homeland as well as “foreign” or “strange”.)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.350

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Exterus · Externus · Peregrinus · Alienigena · Extrarius · Extraneus · Advena · Hospes

1. Exterus and externus denote a foreigner, as one dwelling in a foreign country; whereas peregrinus, alienigena, advena, and hospes, as one who sojourns for a time in a country not his own. 2. Externus denotes a merely local relation, and is applicable to things as well as to persons; but exterus, an intrinsic relation, and is an epithet for persons only. Externæ nationes is a merely geographical expression for nations that are situated without; exteræ nationes, a political expression for foreign nations. 3. Extraneus means, that which is without us, in opp. to relatives, family, native country; whereas extrarius, in opp. to one’s self. Cic. ap. Colum. xii. Comparata est opera mulieris ad domesticam diligentiam; viri autem ad exercitationem forensem et extraneam: comp. with Juv. ii. 56. Utilitas aut in corpore posita est aut in extrariis rebus: or Quintil. vii. 2, 9, with vii. 4, 9. 4. Peregrinus is one who does not possess the right of citizenship, in opp. to civis, Sen. Helv. 6; alienigena, one born in another country, in opp. to patrius and indigena; advena, the emigrant, in opp. to indigena, Liv. xxi. 30; hospes, the foreigner, in opp. to popularis. 5. Peregrinus is the political name of a foreigner, as far as he is without the rights of a citizen and native inhabitant, with disrespect; hospes, the name given to him from a feeling of kindness, as possessing the rights of hospitality. Cic. Rull. ii. 34. Nos autem hinc Romæ, qui veneramus, jam non hospites sed peregrini atque advenæ nominabamur. (iv. 386.)

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativein -er
exter		exteraexterum
genitiveexterīexteraeexterī
dativeexterōexteraeexterō
accusativeexterumexteramexterum
ablativeexterōexterāexterō
vocativeexter
extere		exteraexterum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeexterīexteraeextera
genitiveexterōrumexterārumexterōrum
dativeexterīsexterīsexterīs
accusativeexterōsexterāsextera
ablativeexterīsexterīsexterīs
vocativeexterīexteraeextera

exter or extĕrus (both forms only post-class. and very rare), tĕra, tĕrum, adj. comp. form, from ex,
I. on the outside, outward, of another country, family, etc., foreign, strange (syn.: extraneus; alienus, peregrinus, adventicius).
I. Pos. (in Cic. and Caes. used in the plur.): quod exter heres praestare cogeretur, strange, Dig. 31, 1, 69: emancipatus vero aut exterus non aliter possunt hereditatem quaerere quam si, etc., ib. 29, 2, 84; cf. ib. 31, 1, 67, § 4: tactus corporis est sensus, vel cum res extera sese Insinuat, vel, etc., Lucr. 2, 435: vis, id. 2, 277: haec lex socialis est, hoc jus nationum exterarum est, Cic. Div. in Caecil. 5, 18: exterarum gentium multitudo, Suet. Caes. 84: non modo vestris civibus, verum etiam exteris nationibus, Cic. Font. 11, 25; cf.: apud exteras civitates, Cic. Caecin. 34, 100: apud exteras nationes, Caes. B. C. 3, 43 fin.; ad nationes exteras, Quint. 11, 1, 89: apud exteros, Plin. 18, 3, 5, § 22 et saep.: ab extero hoste atque longinquo, Cic. Cat. 2, 13.—In neutr. plur. with gen.: ad extera Europae noscenda missus Himilco, Plin. 2, 67, 67, § 169: ad extera corporum, id. 22, 23, 49, § 103.—
II. Comp.: extĕrĭor, us (in signif. scarcely differing from its pos.), outward, outer, exterior; opp. interior (rare but class.): cum alterum fecisset exteriorem, interiorem alterum amplexus orbem, Cic. Univ. 7; cf.: simul ex navibus milites in exteriorem vallum tela jaciebant ... et legionarii, interioris munitionis defensores, Caes. B. C. 3, 63, 6: colle exteriore occupato, id. B. G. 7, 79, 1: circumire exteriores mutiones jubet, id. ib. 7, 87, 4: pares munitiones contra exteriorem hostem perfecit, id. ib. 7, 74: comes exterior, i. e. on the left side, Hor. S. 2, 5, 17.—
III. Sup. in two forms, extrēmus and extĭmus or extŭmus [sup. of ex; cf. Gr. ἔσχατος, Georg Curtius Gr. Etym. p. 387].
A. extrēmus, a, um (which in post-class. lang. is itself compared; comp.: extremior, App. M. 1, p. 105; 7, p. 188; sup.: extremissimus, Tert. Apol. 19), the outermost, utmost, extreme (so most freq.; cf.: ultimus, postremus, novissimus, supremus, imus).
1. Lit.: extremum oppidum Allobrogum est Geneva, Caes. B. G. 1, 6, 3: flumen Axona, quod est in extremis Remorum finibus, on the farthest borders, id. ib. 2, 5, 4: fines, Liv. 39, 28, 2; 45, 29, 14; cf.: ad extremum finem provinciae Galliae venerunt, id. 40, 16, 5: impiger extremos currit mercator ad Indos, the remotest, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 45: Tanaïs, id. C. 3, 10, 1: in extrema fere parte epistolae, near the end, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 20; cf.: in codicis extrema cera, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 36, § 92; but to denote the last part of a thing it is used more freq. in immediate connection with the substantive denoting the whole: quibus (litteris) in extremis, at its end, id. Att. 14, 8, 1; cf.: in qua (epistola) extrema, id. ib. 13, 45, 1: in extremo libro tertio, at the end of the third book, id. Off. 3, 2, 9: in extrema oratione, id. de Or. 1, 10, 41: in extremo ponte turrim constituit, Caes. B. G. 6, 29, 3; cf.: ad extremas fossas castella constituit, id. ib. 2, 8, 3: ab extremo agmine, id. ib. 2, 11, 4: in extrema Cappadocia, Cic. Fam. 15, 4, 4: extremis digitis aliquid attingere, id. Cael. 12, 28 et saep. —In the neutr. absol. and as subst.: extrē-mum, i, n., an end, the end: divitias alii praeponunt, alii honores, multi etiam voluptates; beluarum hoc quidem extremum, Cic. Lael. 6, 20: quod finitum est, habet extremum, id. Div. 2, 50, 103: missile telum hastili abiegno et cetera tereti, praeterquam ad extremum, at the end, Liv. 21, 8, 10: in "Equo Trojano" scis esse in extremo "sero sapiunt," Cic. Fam. 7, 16, 1; cf.: quod erat in extremo, id. Att. 6, 9, 1.—With gen.: aliquid ad extremum causae reservatum, Cic. Deiot. 13, 35 (cf. infra, 2. a. fin.): caelum ipsum, quod extremum atque ultumum mundi est, id. Div. 2, 43, 91: ab Ocelo, quod est citerioris provinciae extremum, Caes. B. G. 1, 10, 5: summum gulae fauces vocantur, extremum stomachus, Plin. 11, 37, 68, § 179: in extremo montis, Sall. J. 37, 4.— In plur.: extrema agminis, Liv. 6, 32, 11: extrema Africae, Plin. 8, 10, 10, § 31: extrema Galliae, Flor. 3, 3, 1; 3, 20, 12; Tac. H. 5, 18; id. A. 4, 67; 4, 74.—
2. Trop.
a. In respect to time or the order of succession, the latest, last: inter prioris mensis senescentis extremum diem et novam lunam, Varr. L. L. 6, § 10 Müll.: mensis anni Februarius, Cic. Leg. 2, 21, 54: tempore diei, Hirt. B. G. 8, 15, 6: eam amicitiam ad extremum finem vitae perduxit, Liv. 37, 53, 8: matres ab extremo conspectu liberorum exclusae, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 45, § 118: manus extrema non accessit operibus ejus, the finishing hand, the last touches, id. Brut. 33, 126: extremum illud est, ut te orem et obsecrem, it remains only, id. Fam. 4, 13, 7; id. Att. 11, 16, 5.—To denote the last part of a thing (cf. above, 1.): quod eo die potest videri extrema et prima luna, i. e. the end and the beginning, Varr. L. L. l. l.: usque ad extremam aetatem ab adolescentia, Nep. Cato, 2, 4; id. Att. 10, 3; cf.: ita tantum bellum Cn. Pompeius extrema hieme apparavit, ineunte vere suscepit, media aestate confecit, Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 12, 35: extremo anno, Liv. 2, 64, 1: extremo tempore, in the last time, at last, Nep. Dat. 10; id. Epam. 9; id. Eum. 5, 3 al.: extrema pueritia, Cic. de Imp. Pomp. 10, 28: extremo Peloponnesio bello, Nep. Con. 1, 2: extremus dies, the close of day, the evening, Sil 7, 172; 14, 8.—Subst.: illum Praeteritum temnens extremos inter euntem, Hor. S. 1, 1, 116; cf.: extremi primorum, extremis usque priores, id. Ep. 2, 2, 204: extremus dominorum, Tac. H. 4, 42 fin.: die extremum erat, Sall. J. 21, 2: extremum aestatis, id. ib. 90, 1: extremo anni, Liv. 35, 11, 1: sub extremum noctis, Sil. 4, 88 al.—Prov.: extrema semper de ante factis judicant (cf. our wise after the event), Pub. Syr. 163 Rib.—Adv.: extremum.
a. For the last time: alloquor extremum maestos abiturus amicos, Ov. Tr. 1, 3, 15: cum diu occulte suspirassent, postea jam gemere, ad extremum vero loqui omnes et clamare coeperunt.—
b. At last, finally, Cic. Att. 2, 21, 2: extremum tenues liquefacta medullas Tabuit, Ov. M. 14, 431.—Adverb. phrase: ad extremum, id. Phil. 13, 20, 45; Caes. B. G. 4, 4, 2 et saep.; cf., strengthened by tum: invenire quod dicas ... deinde ... post ... tum ad extremum agere ac pronuntiare, Cic. de Or. 2, 19, 79; and strengthened by denique: ad extremum ipsa denique necessitate excitantur, id. Sest. 47, 100: decimo loco testis exspectatus et ad extremum reservatus dixit, etc., till the end, to the last, id. Caecin. 10, 28: ad extremum, Ov. P. 1, 9, 28; 3, 7, 20; for which: in extremum (durare), id. H. 7, 111: qui extremo mortuus est, at last, Dig. 32, 1, 81: extremo, Nep. Ham. 2, 3.—
b. Extreme in quality or degree; used, like ultimus, to denote both the highest and the lowest grade.
(a). The utmost, highest, greatest: cum extremum hoc sit (sentis enim, credo, me jam diu, quod τέλος Graeci dicunt, id dicere tum extremum, tum ultimum, tum summum: licebit etiam finem pro extremo aut ultimo dicere) cum igitur hoc sit extremum, congruenter naturae vivere, etc., Cic. Fin. 3, 7, 26: extremam famem sustentare, Caes. B. G. 7, 17, 3: ad extrema et inimicissima jura tam cupide decurrebas, Cic. Quint. 15, 48; cf.: decurritur ad illud extremum atque ultimum S. C., Dent operam consules, etc., Caes. B. C. 1, 5, 3: extremam rationem belli sequens, id. ib. 3, 44, 1: neque aliud se fatigando nisi odium quaerere, extremae dementiae est, is the height of madness, Sall. J. 3, 3: in extremis suis rebus, in the utmost, greatest danger, Caes. B. G. 2, 25 fin.: res, Suet. Ner. 6 fin.; cf.: res jam ad extremum perducta casum, Caes. B. G. 3, 5, 1: necessitate extrema ad mortem agi, Tac. A. 13, 1.—Subst.: si nihil in Lepido spei sit, descensurum ad extrema, to desperate measures, Pollio ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 4: ad extrema perventum est, Curt. 4, 14, 14: ad extrema ventum foret, ni, etc., Liv. 2, 47, 8: compellere ad extrema deditionis, to surrender at discretion, Flor. 4, 5; cf.: famem, ferrum et extrema pati, Tac. H. 4, 59: plura de extremis loqui, id. ib. 2, 47 al.: res publica in extremo sita, Sall. C. 52, 11; Sen. de Ira, 1, 11, 5.—Adverb.: improbus homo, sed non ad extremum perditus, utterly, Liv. 23, 2, 4.—
(b). The lowest, vilest, meanest (perh. not ante-Aug.): mancipia, Sen. Ep. 70 fin.: latrones, App. M. 3, p. 131: quidam sortis extremae juvenis, Just. 15, 1: alimenta vitae, Tac. A. 6, 24: extremi ingenii est, Liv. 22, 29, 8.—
B. extĭmus or extŭmus, a, um, the outermost, farthest, most remote (rare but class.): novem orbes, quorum unus est caelestis, extimus, qui reliquos omnes complectitur, Cic. Rep. 6, 17: circum caesura membrorum, Lucr. 3, 219; 4, 647: promontorium Oceani, Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 1: gentes, id. 2, 78, 80, § 190: factus sum extimus a vobis, i. e. discarded, estranged, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Prisc. p. 609 P.—Subst.: Apuliae extima, the borders, Plin. 6, 34, 39, § 217.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰ
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éǵʰs
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₁eǵʰsteros
  4. Proto-Italic*eksteros
  5. Latinexter

From Proto-Italic *eksteros, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰsteros, from *h₁eǵʰs (whence ex); equivalent to ex (“out of, from within”) + -ter (“-ly”, adverbial suffix).

Descendants
  • Italianestero
  • Ladinester
  • Piedmonteseéster

In English words that came into English from exter

  • strangeextrāneus
  • externalexternus
  • strangerextraneus
  • extremeextrēmus
  • exteriorexterior
  • extraordinaryextrāōrdinārius
  • extremityextrēmitās
  • extravaganceextra
  • estrangeextraneus
  • extraneousextrāneus
  • astrayextravagari
  • extrinsicextrinsecus
  • extremumextrēmum
  • extramuralextramuralis
  • extravasateextra
  • extravagateextrā
  • extradosextra
  • extroitiveextra

Quick answers

What does exter mean in Latin?
exter, a adjective, means “on the outside, outward, external, outer, far, remote; of another country; foreign, strange”.
How do you pronounce exter?
In classical Latin, [ˈɛk.stɛr]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈɛk.ster].
Where does exter come from?
Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ → Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs → Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰsteros → Proto-Italic *eksteros → Latin exter.
Which English words come from exter?
English words that go back to Latin exter include exterior, external, extreme, extravagance, extremum and extravasate.