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

And eventually there will be a team based overseas where Spanish is heard, visiting teams carry passports and Bad Bunny is no stranger.

From Los Angeles Times

In Israel, strangers approach and tell him he is a hero.

From BBC

He highlighted how it had made accounts for under-16s fully private, and private by default for under-18s, meaning strangers cannot contact children directly - though he admitted Pinterest was still "by no means perfect."

From BBC

It dawned on me that he thought we were two strangers chatting at the bus stop.

From BBC

Sitting on a lawn under a shade tree, 87-year-old Ron Nelson graciously obliged when asked by yet another stranger for his recollection of that day.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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