Word
strange
US/ˈstɹeɪndʒ/
UK/stɹˈeɪndʒ/
Definitions
01unusual or odd
A2 · Elementary
adj. unusual, surprising, or difficult to understand.
adj. deviating from what is ordinary, expected, or understood; often carries a connotation of being slightly unsettling.
日本語:変※
“I heard a strange noise coming from the basement in the middle of the night.”
“The witness provided a strange account of the evening's events, mentioning details that seemed entirely inconsistent with the physical evidence found at the scene.”
02unfamiliar
B1 · Intermediate
adj. not known or not experienced before.
adj. not previously known, seen, or experienced; alien to one's personal history or environment.
日本語:見知らぬ※
“It is difficult to find your way around a strange city without a map.”
“Moving to a new country often involves a period of adjustment while you learn to navigate strange customs and social expectations.”
Synonyms
03quantum physics
C2 · Proficiency Science Technical
adj. a special property of some very small particles in physics.
adj. relating to a specific flavor of quark or the quantum property of strangeness.
“The scientist explained how a strange quark differs from other types of particles.”
“In particle physics, the strange quark is the third lightest of all quarks and carries a charge of negative one-third.”
04mathematical attractors
C2 · Proficiency Mathematics Technical
adj. a term used in math to describe a complex, repeating pattern.
adj. describing an attractor that has a fractal structure and exhibits chaotic dynamics.
“The computer model showed a strange attractor forming in the weather data.”
“The system's long-term behavior is governed by a strange attractor, meaning that while the path is bounded, it never repeats the same state twice.”
Synonyms
05unfaithful sex
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Slang · Vulgar
n. sex with someone who is not your regular partner.
n. sexual activity occurring outside of one's established romantic relationship.
“He was looking for some strange while his wife was away on business.”
“The lyrics of the blues song often revolve around the protagonist's search for some strange as a way to escape his domestic troubles.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“AI models have begun communicating in a strange new version of English that reads like a cross between James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake and tech bro jargon, new research has found.” “Astronomers have discovered a strange new object in our Milky Way galaxy.” “The strangest thing about the pandemic is that it isn’t strange anymore.” “Among the threats tariffs pose to the U.S. economy, none may be as strange as the sell-off in the dollar.” Etymology
From Middle English straunge, strange, stronge, from Old French estrange, from Latin extrāneus (“that which is on the outside”). Doublet of extraneous and estrange. Cognate with French étrange (“strange, foreign”) and Spanish extraño (“strange, foreign”). Largely displaced native fremd, selcouth, and uncouth, from Old English fremede, seldcūþ, and uncūþ.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
The word in film
Strange · 1978 · Action
- Directed by:
- Philip DeGuere
- Starring:
- Anne-Marie Martin, Clyde Kusatsu, Peter Hooten
Philip DeGuere's 1978 TV film about a neurosurgeon thrust into a world of mystical power and strange forces beyond comprehension.
In Literature
Cover: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons — Robert Louis Stevenson.
Strange · 1886-01-01 · Gothic fiction, crime fiction
- Author:
- Robert Louis Stevenson
Stevenson's 1886 Gothic masterpiece explores the duality of human nature through Dr. Jekyll's transformation into the strange and sinister Mr. Hyde, a classic exploration of good and evil in one person.
In Music
Cover shown under fair use for identification and commentary.
People Are Strange · 1967 · Psychedelic rock
- Artist:
- The Doors
- Album:
- Strange Days
The Doors' 1967 psychedelic classic explores the strangeness of unfamiliar people and places. 'People are strange when you're a stranger,' the opening lyric captures that sense of alienation.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/strange
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0