foreigner

[ fawr-uh-ner, for- ]

noun

1. a person not native to or naturalized in the country or jurisdiction under consideration; alien.

   Synonyms: outlander

2. a person from outside one's community.
3. a thing produced in or brought from a foreign country.
4. Nautical. a foreign vessel.

foreigner

/ ˈfɒrɪnə /

noun

1. a person from a foreign country; alien
2. an outsider or interloper
3. something from a foreign country, such as a ship or product

Word History and Origins

Origin of foreigner¹

First recorded in 1375–1425, foreigner is from the late Middle English word foreiner. See foreign, -er ¹

Synonym Study

See stranger.

Example Sentences

The president of Mongolia is one foreigner who may not be invited back to Kim Il Sung University anytime soon.

From The Daily Beast

Generally, the foreigner is a class of person often aligned with other vulnerable populations like widows and orphans.

From The Daily Beast

He was the only foreigner in such a powerful government position in the Congo.

From The Daily Beast

Yeonmi was forbidden from using computers in the town center because she was a foreigner.

From The Daily Beast

A foreigner such as Bartholdi viewed the abolition of slavery as Liberty achieved in the United States.

From The Daily Beast

Not, indeed, until the foreigner's foot was on the step preparatory to mounting did Garnache speak.

From Project Gutenberg

Ye told me that he only kepit twa sairvents: a cook, hoosekeper, who lived awe', an' a man—a foreigner?

From Project Gutenberg

A foreigner with an imperfect knowledge of English naturally prefers a doctor to whom he can speak in his own tongue.

From Project Gutenberg

"You certainly have been very successful over here, Doctor," observed the foreigner, whose English had been acquired in America.

From Project Gutenberg

Ill wager that greasy foreigner has got a wife and ten childrenand neglects them.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• alien
• immigrant
• outsider