# outsider

/aʊtˈsaɪdɝ/ (US) · /aʊtsˈaɪdɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/outsider
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not part of a group

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- As a new employee from a different country, he felt like an outsider during the first week.
- The anthropologist remained an outsider to the tribe, observing their rituals without ever being permitted to participate in the sacred ceremonies.

### 3. end of a bread loaf

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect · Archaic

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

For teachers: the heel or terminal slice of a loaf of bread.

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

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

## Examples

- As the only new student, I felt like an outsider.
- The company hired an outsider to manage the department because they wanted a fresh perspective on their old problems.
- The novel explores the perspective of an outsider who observes the rigid social customs of the village without ever truly understanding the underlying motivations of the residents.

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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.