foreign

[fawr-in, for-]

See more synonyms for foreign on Thesaurus.com

adjective

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.
1. of or relating to law outside of local jurisdiction.
2. 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.

Origin of foreign

1200–50; Middle English forein < Old French forain, forein < Vulgar Latin *forānus, derivative of Latin forās outside

Related formsfor·eign·ly, adverbfor·eign·ness, nounnon·for·eign, adjectivenon·for·eign·ness, nounpro·for·eign, adjectivequa·si-for·eign, adjectiveun·for·eign, adjective

Synonyms for foreign

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com

1, 3. alien. 4. international. 11. extraneous, outside.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for foreign

different, unfamiliar, alien, external, overseas, offshore, strange, alienated, antipodal, barbarian, barbaric, distant, exotic, expatriate, extraneous, extrinsic, far, far-fetched, faraway, immigrant

Examples from the Web for foreign

Contemporary Examples of foreign

Cambodia, with its seemingly free press, is also a haven for foreign journalists.
Cambodia’s Smoke-and-Mirrors Democracy
David Shaftel
January 9, 2015
What they believe impacts economic policy, foreign policy, education policy, environmental policy, you name it.
The Evangelical Apocalypse Is All Your Fault
Jay Michaelson
January 4, 2015
Huckabee is also not burdened by, or beholden to, foreign investors.
Can Huckabee Convert the GOP’s Moneymen?
Lloyd Green
January 4, 2015
What if there were a legal dispute between the foreign investor and his or her Egyptian partners or collaborators?
Amal Clooney vs. Egypt’s Courts
Christopher Dickey
January 4, 2015
The Italian foreign ministry has declined to comment on the video.
Jihadis Release New Year’s Eve Video of Italian Female Hostages
Jamie Dettmer, Barbie Latza Nadeau
January 2, 2015

Historical Examples of foreign

His own situation was described as happy as it could be in a foreign land.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
A foreign stain floated on the surface, but never mingled with its waters.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Besides, this was the first foreign shore his foot had ever trodden.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
But he was a generous man and all meanness of spirit was foreign to his soul.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon
The Jews were the subjects of a foreign race and money was scarce.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon

British Dictionary definitions for foreign

foreign

adjective

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

Derived Formsforeignly, adverbforeignness, noun

Word Origin for foreign

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.