ENGLISH
REFERENCE

outsider

n.
US //aʊtˈsaɪdɝ// UK //aʊtsˈaɪdɐ// out·sider
  1. 1 not part of a group (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a person who is not part of a specific group, community, or organization.

    an individual who does not belong to a particular social, professional, or community group.

    Example

    As a new employee from a different country, he felt like an outsider during the first week.

    Example

    The anthropologist remained an outsider to the tribe, observing their rituals without ever being permitted to participate in the sacred ceremonies.

  2. 2 end of a bread loaf (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Dialect Archaic Cooking

    the piece of bread at the very end of a loaf.

    the heel or terminal slice of a loaf of bread.

    Example

    My grandfather always preferred the outsider of the loaf because it was the crunchiest part.

    Example

    In certain northern dialects, the outsider is the most coveted slice of the morning's fresh bake.

    Usage

    This sense is highly regional and rarely encountered in standard modern English.

    Teacher's tip

    Most modern speakers use 'heel' or 'crust' for this; students should only learn this for historical or specific regional reading.

Origin

From outside + -er.

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