foreign
[fawr-in, for-]
- of, relating to, or derived from another country or nation; not native: foreign cars.
- of or relating to contact or dealings with other countries; connected with foreign affairs.
- external to one's own country or nation: a foreign country.
- carried on abroad, or with other countries: foreign trade.
- belonging to or coming from another district, province, etc.
- located outside a specific district, province, etc.
- Law.
- of or relating to law outside of local jurisdiction.
- of or relating to another jurisdiction, as of another nation or state.
- belonging to or proceeding from other persons or things: a statement supported by foreign testimony.
- not belonging to the place or body where found: foreign matter in a chemical mixture.
- not related to or connected with the thing under consideration: foreign to our discussion.
- alien in character; irrelevant or inappropriate; remote.
- strange or unfamiliar.
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Origin of foreign
1200–50; Middle English forein < Old French forain, forein < Vulgar Latin *forānus, derivative of Latin forās outside
Synonyms
See more synonyms for foreign on Thesaurus.com1, 3. alien. 4. international. 11. extraneous, outside.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for foreign
Contemporary Examples
Cambodia, with its seemingly free press, is also a haven for foreign journalists.
What they believe impacts economic policy, foreign policy, education policy, environmental policy, you name it.
Huckabee is also not burdened by, or beholden to, foreign investors.
What if there were a legal dispute between the foreign investor and his or her Egyptian partners or collaborators?
The Italian foreign ministry has declined to comment on the video.
Jihadis Release New Year’s Eve Video of Italian Female HostagesJamie Dettmer, Barbie Latza Nadeau
January 2, 2015
Historical Examples
A foreign stain floated on the surface, but never mingled with its waters.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
His own situation was described as happy as it could be in a foreign land.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Besides, this was the first foreign shore his foot had ever trodden.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
They had forced the foreign immigrants to work in their factories.
Ancient ManHendrik Willem van Loon
The Jews were the subjects of a foreign race and money was scarce.
Ancient ManHendrik Willem van Loon
foreign
- of, involving, located in, or coming from another country, area, people, etca foreign resident
- dealing or concerned with another country, area, people, etca foreign office
- not pertinent or relateda matter foreign to the discussion
- not familiar; strange
- in an abnormal place or positionforeign matter; foreign bodies
- law outside the jurisdiction of a particular state; alien
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French forain, from Vulgar Latin forānus (unattested) situated on the outside, from Latin foris outside
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for foreign
adj.
mid-13c., ferren, foreyne "out of doors," from Old French forain "strange, foreign; outer, external, outdoor; remote, out-of-the-way" (12c.), from Medieval Latin foranus "on the outside, exterior," from Latin foris "outside," literally "out of doors," related to for1s "door," from PIE *dhwor-ans-, from root *dhwer- "door, doorway" (see door). Spelling altered 17c. perhaps by influence of reign, sovereign. Replaced native fremd. Sense of "not in one's own land" is first attested late 14c.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper