Standard Lemma guide

outsource

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈaʊtˌsɔːs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, General-American: /ˈaʊtˌsoɹs/
  • Australian: /ˈæɔtˌsoːs/
  • New-Zealand: /ˈæʊtˌsoːs/
  • rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)s
  • CMU ARPABET: AW2 T S AO1 R S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To transfer the management or day-to-day execution of a business function to a third-party service provider.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, transitive

Topics: business, management

Examples

  • They decided to outsource the design and manufacture of the system to a vendor.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

obtain goods or services from an outside supplier; to contract work out

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Many companies outsource and hire consultants in order to maintain a flexible workforce

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: source

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úd Proto-Germanic *ūt Proto-Germanic *ūt- Old English ūt- Middle English ut- English out- English source English outsource From out- + source.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: externalitzar — transfer of business to a third party
  • Chinese Mandarin: 外包 (wàibāo) — transfer of business to a third party
  • Chinese Mandarin: 委外 (wěiwài) — transfer of business to a third party
  • Chinese Mandarin: 外判 (wàipàn) — transfer of business to a third party
  • Chinese Mandarin: 外購 /外购 (wàigòu) — transfer of business to a third party
  • Czech: zadávat subdodavatelské zakázky — transfer of business to a third party
  • Danish: udlicitere — transfer of business to a third party
  • Dutch: uitbesteden — transfer of business to a third party
  • Finnish: ulkoistaa — transfer of business to a third party
  • French: externaliser — transfer of business to a third party
  • French: sous-traiter — transfer of business to a third party
  • Galician: externalizar — transfer of business to a third party
  • German: auslagern — transfer of business to a third party
  • Hungarian: kiszervez — transfer of business to a third party
  • Hungarian: alvállalkozásbaad (ki) — transfer of business to a third party
  • Icelandic: útvista — transfer of business to a third party
  • Italian: esternalizzare — transfer of business to a third party
  • Italian: subappaltare — transfer of business to a third party
  • Polish: zlecać na zewnątrz — transfer of business to a third party
  • Polish: zlecić na zewnątrz — transfer of business to a third party
  • Portuguese: terceirizar — transfer of business to a third party
  • Portuguese: externalizar — transfer of business to a third party
  • Romanian: externaliza — transfer of business to a third party
  • Spanish: externalizar — transfer of business to a third party
  • Spanish: tercerizar — transfer of business to a third party
  • Spanish: subcontratar — transfer of business to a third party
  • Swedish: outsource — transfer of business to a third party
  • Vietnamese: thuê ngoài — transfer of business to a third party