Meaning & Definition of word "Foreign"

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    Foreign

    /ˈfɔːr.ɪn/

    noun:

    • 1. A person from another country.
      • Example: The city is home to many foreigners who have come to study and work.

    adjective:

    • 1. Of, from, in, or characteristic of a country or language other than one's own.
      • Example: She has a foreign accent that gives her away as a non-native speaker.
    • 2. Not native to or originally from the place in question.
      • Example: The foreign plants in the garden flourished more than the local species.
    • 3. Belonging to or derived from a different country or culture.
      • Example: He specializes in foreign policy and international relations.
    • 4. Strange or unfamiliar.
      • Example: To him, the customs seemed foreign and difficult to understand.

    Etymology

    Middle English 'forein', from Old French 'forain', from Latin 'foris' meaning 'outside'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    foreign affairs:

    Matters related to international relations.

    foreign exchange:

    The swapping of one currency for another.

    foreign policy:

    A government's strategy in dealing with other nations.

    Related Words

    overseas:

    Located beyond the sea, often refers to countries across oceans.

    immigrant:

    A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.

    Slang Meanings of foreign