interloper

noun

in·​ter·​lop·​er ˌin-tər-ˈlō-pər 

ˈin-tər-ˌlō-

: one that interlopes: such as

a

: one that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity

b

: an illegal or unlicensed trader

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The History of Interloper

The -loper part of interloper is believed to be either from an English dialectal word meaning "leap" or from a Dutch word meaning "to run." (The prefix inter- means "between" or "among.") An interloper is essentially one that jumps into the midst of things without an invitation to do so.

Synonyms

• busybody
• buttinsky
• buttinski
• interferer
• intermeddler
• intruder
• kibitzer
• kibbitzer
• meddler
• nosey parker [chiefly British]

Examples of interloper in a Sentence

I had hoped to help my neighbors, but they regarded me as an interloper.

summer residents were regarded as interlopers who had no deep commitment to the town's welfare

Recent Examples on the Web

He’s widely seen as an interloper, a clown, disrupting and degrading a sport that’s supposed to be meritocratic. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024

Musicians should not be interlopers, Peled says, but fixtures in their neighborhoods. —Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 19 Nov. 2024

This week she gets tripped up by Sarah, who still isn’t happy about having to share Olympia’s attention with this elderly interloper. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024

Yes, but not just any heckler; the interloper turns out to be Death himself. —Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1590, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

interloper

noun

in·​ter·​lop·​er ˌint-ər-ˈlō-pər 

ˈint-ər-ˌlō-pər

: a person who intrudes or interferes wrongly or meddlesomely