diff --git a/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py b/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py
index 146e0c246..0ad640800 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/intersphinx.py
@@ -471,9 +471,9 @@ def missing_reference(app: Sphinx, env: BuildEnvironment, node: pending_xref,
 
 
 class IntersphinxDispatcher(CustomReSTDispatcher):
-    """Custom dispatcher for intersphinx role.
+    """Custom dispatcher for external role.
 
-    This enables :intersphinx:***: roles on parsing reST document.
+    This enables :external:***: roles on parsing reST document.
     """
 
     def __init__(self) -> None:
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ class IntersphinxDispatcher(CustomReSTDispatcher):
 
     def role(self, role_name: str, language_module: ModuleType, lineno: int, reporter: Reporter
              ) -> Tuple[RoleFunction, List[system_message]]:
-        if role_name.split(':')[0] == 'intersphinx':
+        if role_name.split(':')[0] == 'external':
             return IntersphinxRole(), []
         else:
             return super().role(role_name, language_module, lineno, reporter)
@@ -505,11 +505,11 @@ class IntersphinxRole(SphinxRole):
     def get_role_name(self, name: str) -> Optional[Tuple[str, str]]:
         names = name.split(':')
         if len(names) == 2:
-            # :intersphinx:role:
+            # :external:role:
             domain = self.env.temp_data.get('default_domain')
             role = names[1]
         elif len(names) == 3:
-            # :intersphinx:domain:role:
+            # :external:domain:role:
             domain = names[1]
             role = names[2]
         else:
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-intersphinx-role/index.rst b/tests/roots/test-ext-intersphinx-role/index.rst
index 25352838d..4eeaf807a 100644
--- a/tests/roots/test-ext-intersphinx-role/index.rst
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-intersphinx-role/index.rst
@@ -1,25 +1,25 @@
-:intersphinx:py:mod:`module1`
-:intersphinx:py:mod:`inv:module2`
+:external:py:mod:`module1`
+:external:py:mod:`inv:module2`
 
 .. py:module:: module1
 
-:intersphinx:py:func:`func`
-:intersphinx:py:func:`inv:func`
-:intersphinx:py:meth:`Foo.bar`
-:intersphinx:py:meth:`inv:Foo.bar`
+:external:py:func:`func`
+:external:py:func:`inv:func`
+:external:py:meth:`Foo.bar`
+:external:py:meth:`inv:Foo.bar`
 
-:intersphinx:c:func:`CFunc`
-:intersphinx:c:func:`inv:CFunc`
-:intersphinx:doc:`docname`
-:intersphinx:doc:`inv:docname`
-:intersphinx:option:`ls -l`
-:intersphinx:option:`inv:ls -l`
+:external:c:func:`CFunc`
+:external:c:func:`inv:CFunc`
+:external:doc:`docname`
+:external:doc:`inv:docname`
+:external:option:`ls -l`
+:external:option:`inv:ls -l`
 
 .. cpp:type:: std::uint8_t
 .. cpp:class:: foo::Bar
 
-:intersphinx:cpp:type:`std::uint8_t`
-:intersphinx:cpp:class:`inv:foo::Bar`
+:external:cpp:type:`std::uint8_t`
+:external:cpp:class:`inv:foo::Bar`
 
-:intersphinx:cpp:type:`FoonsTitle <foons>`
-:intersphinx:cpp:type:`inv:BarType <foons::bartype>`
\ No newline at end of file
+:external:cpp:type:`FoonsTitle <foons>`
+:external:cpp:type:`inv:BarType <foons::bartype>`
\ No newline at end of file