# foreign

/ˈfɑɹən/ (US) · /fˈɒɹən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/foreign
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. from another country

adjective · CEFR A2

from a country that is not your own.

For teachers: originating from, characteristic of, or belonging to a nation other than one's own.

- I love trying foreign food when I travel to new places.
- The government is implementing new policies to attract foreign investment into the renewable energy sector.

### 2. strange or unfamiliar

adjective · CEFR B2

feeling strange, unusual, or not natural to a person or situation.

For teachers: not characteristic of or naturally belonging to a particular person, system, or environment.

- The idea of working in a quiet office was foreign to him after years of construction work.
- The concept of individual land ownership was entirely foreign to the indigenous population's communal way of life.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'to'.

### 3. medical/biological

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describes something that does not belong inside a body or a system.

For teachers: referring to a substance or object that is not native to a biological organism or mechanical system.

- The doctor had to remove a foreign object from the child's ear.
- The immune system is designed to identify and attack foreign proteins that enter the bloodstream.

### 4. legal jurisdiction

adjective · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

coming from a different state or province, even in the same country.

For teachers: originating from a different legal jurisdiction, such as a different state within a federal union.

- The company was considered a foreign corporation because it was based in Delaware.
- The court had to determine whether it had authority over the foreign entity under the state's long-arm statute.

Usage: Commonly used in US law to describe corporations registered in a different state.

### 5. imported car

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Slang

a car that was made in another country.

For teachers: a motor vehicle produced by a manufacturer based in a different country.

- He spent all his savings on a shiny new foreign.
- The local car meet was dominated by high-end foreigns and modified imports.

## Examples

- I love learning foreign languages like Spanish and Japanese.
- The company is looking to expand its reach into foreign markets across Southeast Asia next year.
- The witness claimed the concept of corporate loyalty was entirely foreign to the defendant, who had spent his career jumping between rival firms for higher pay.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.