ENGLISH
REFERENCE

foreigner

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈfɑɹənɝ// UK //fˈɒɹənɐ// for·eign·er

n. a person who comes from a different country than the one you are in. It is a simple way to describe someone who is not a citizen of that place.

n. a person born in or coming from a country other than one's own. While technically neutral, it can carry an exclusionary or distancing tone depending on the social context.


SIMPLE

The local guide helps every foreigner find their way around the city.

CONTEXTUAL

When you move to a new country, you might feel like a foreigner until you learn the local language and customs.

COMPLEX

The legal framework distinguishes between a resident alien and a temporary foreigner, granting different rights regarding employment and social services based on their specific visa status.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English forner, foreyner, foroner, forenere, augmentation of earlier forein (“foreigner”), from the adjective. Equivalent to foreign + -er. Use of the -er suffix may be due to analogy with Middle English straunger (“stranger”). Displaced native Old English elþēodiġ.

Usage

Often replaced by 'visitor', 'tourist', or 'immigrant' in formal or polite contexts to avoid a potentially unwelcoming tone.

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