Word
alien
US/ˈeɪɫiən/
UK/ˈeɪliən/
Definitions
01extraterrestrial
n. a creature from another planet.
n. a hypothetical or fictional being from a world other than Earth.
“The movie is about a friendly alien who gets lost on Earth.”
“Science fiction often explores how humanity might react to the arrival of an alien species with superior technology.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02foreign national
n. a person who lives in a country but is a citizen of a different country.
n. a person who is not a national or citizen of the country in which they are residing.
“The government issued new work permits for resident aliens.”
“The legal distinction between a resident alien and a naturalised citizen remains a central point of debate in immigration reform.”
Formal
Usage
In legal contexts, this term is precise, but in everyday speech, it can sometimes sound cold or unwelcoming.
Synonyms
03strange or unfamiliar
adj. very strange and different from what you are used to.
adj. fundamentally different, inconsistent, or strange in nature; often used with the preposition 'to'.
“The idea of working in a big office was completely alien to him.”
“The harsh, industrial landscape felt entirely alien to the hikers, who were accustomed to the lush greenery of the valley.”
Synonyms
04to transfer property
v. to give or sell the ownership of property to someone else.
v. to transfer the ownership of property or a right to another person.
“The owner decided to alien the land to a local charity.”
“The contract stipulated that the tenant could not alien the leasehold interest without the express written consent of the landlord.”
Formal · Technical
Usage
This is a transitive verb used almost exclusively in property law.
Real-World Examples
“The first time I listened to a soil soundscape, it felt like taking my first steps into an alien world.” “Its ways of thinking and problem-solving look alien to us.” “What if evidence of alien life exists, but we simply fail to recognize it?” “One example comes from the recent blockbuster "Project Hail Mary," which features a five-limbed alien with a rock-like exterior.” Etymology
From Middle English alien, a borrowing from Old French alien, aliene, from Latin aliēnus (“belonging to someone else”, later “exotic, foreign”), from Latin alius (“other”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos. Related to English else.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The word in film
Alien · 1979 · Sci-Fi
- Directed by:
- Ridley Scott
- Starring:
- Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Ian Holm
Ridley Scott's classic science fiction horror film follows the crew of a spaceship who encounter a deadly extraterrestrial life form. Sigourney Weaver stars as a survivor fighting to escape the dangerous creature before it destroys everyone on board.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/alien