stranger

[streyn-jer]

noun

1. a person with whom one has had no personal acquaintance.

   He is a perfect stranger to me.

   Antonyms: acquaintance

2. a newcomer in a place or locality.

   a stranger in town.

3. an outsider.

   They want no strangers in on the club meetings.

4. a person who is unacquainted with or unaccustomed to something (usually followed byto ).

   He is no stranger to poverty.

5. a person who is not a member of the family, group, community, or the like, as a visitor or guest.

   Our town shows hospitality to strangers.

6. Law.,  one not privy or party to an act, proceeding, etc.

stranger

/ ˈstreɪndʒə /

noun

1. any person whom one does not know

2. a person who is new to a particular locality, from another region, town, etc

3. a guest or visitor

4. (foll by to) a person who is unfamiliar (with) or new (to) something

   he is no stranger to computers

5. law a person who is neither party nor privy to a transaction

Other Word Forms

• strangerlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stranger¹

1325–75; Middle English, from Middle French estrangier, equivalent to estrange strange + -ier -ier ²

Synonym Study

Stranger, foreigner both refer to someone regarded as outside of or distinct from a particular group. Stranger may apply to one who does not belong to some group—social, professional, national, etc.—or may apply to a person with whom one is not acquainted. Foreigner emphasizes a difference in language, customs, and background.

Example Sentences

I thought of Hebrews 13:2: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

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Those two strangers are the only characters we see, and the mundane action described in the title is also at the core of the narrative.

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For solo travelers or couples, that means plopping down next to strangers.

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Thus, Carol suddenly finds herself alone in a crowd of strangers who think they know her better than she knows herself.

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Curiosity, a trait that is usually considered a strength is another weakness that scammers exploit, whether it’s a link to click, or a “wrong” text that sparks a conversation with a stranger.

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Related Words

• alien 
• foreigner 
• guest 
• immigrant 
• intruder www.thesaurus.com
• newcomer 
• outsider 
• visitor