foreigner

noun

for·​eign·​er ˈfȯr-ə-nər How to pronounce foreigner (audio)
ˈfär-
1
: a person belonging to or owing allegiance to a foreign country
2
chiefly dialectal : one not native to a place or community : stranger sense 1c

Examples of foreigner in a Sentence

I can tell by your accent you're a foreigner in these parts.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Chief state prosecutor María Elena Andrade Ramírez theorized that the killers drove by and saw the foreigners' pickup truck and tents and wanted to steal their tires. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025 The current program gives residency to foreigners who invest at least $1.05 million in a new business that creates jobs, or $800,000 in a rural area, infrastructure project, or an area with high unemployment. William Gavin, Quartz, 26 Feb. 2025 The Immigrant Investor Program requires foreigners to pay $1 million for a visa and launch a business that creates at least 10 new jobs. Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Feb. 2025 Where Ottoman intellectuals and artists had previously traveled to cultural centers in Egypt, Persia, Italy, or elsewhere to study, Darling writes, now the Ottomans attracted foreigners seeking education and culture. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foreigner

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreigner was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Foreigner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreigner. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

foreigner

noun
for·​eign·​er ˈfȯr-ə-nər How to pronounce foreigner (audio)
ˈfär-
: a person who is from a foreign country

More from Merriam-Webster on foreigner

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