foreigner

American  

[fawr-uh-ner, for-] / ˈfɔr ə nər, ˈfɒr- /

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.

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foreigner British  

/ 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

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Usage

What is a foreigner? A foreigner is a person from a different country than the one being referred to, as in The country was welcoming to foreigners from neighboring countries.Foreigner is a noun form of the adjective foreign, which is used to describe someone or something that is from another place, particularly another country, as in foreign country and foreign language.Foreigner can be used more generally to mean a person from outside someone’s community or group.The word foreigner is similar to words like stranger and outsider, referring to a person who is from outside a community. However, foreigner implies that a person has different customs and culture or speaks a different language. Sometimes, foreigner is used negatively to harshly judge or discriminate against a person’s culture, customs, language, or country. It implies that the person or people being discussed are not acceptable in some way—that they don’t belong where they are. Although foreigner can be used in a neutral way, it can also be used in a way that’s very offensive.Words like immigrant, refugee, and tourist more specifically indicate a person’s status.Example: The secluded island nation was known for being distrustful of foreigners and rarely allowed visitors from other countries.

Related Words

See stranger.

Etymology

Origin of foreigner

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

Example Sentences

Roughly 90% of people living in Dubai are foreigners, and retaining and attracting foreign talent is key to the emirate’s future.

From The Wall Street Journal

Roughly 90 percent of people living in the UAE are foreigners, a crucial workforce for diversifying the economy away from oil towards tourism and services.

From Barron's

Air traffic has slowed and foreigners are fleeing the Gulf, whose image of business-friendly stability has taken a huge hit.

From Barron's

Generally, North Koreans, who are prohibited from interacting with foreigners by the Kim regime, are seated in separate cars from Chinese travelers to avoid unnecessary contact between the two groups.

From The Wall Street Journal

Koryo Tours, based in Beijing, China, offers several marathon packages to foreigners, departing from Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang.

From BBC

Related Words

• alien
• immigrant
• outsider