foreign

adjective

for·​eign ˈfȯr-ən How to pronounce foreign (audio)
ˈfär-
1
: situated outside a place or country
especially : situated outside one's own country
foreign cities
2
: born in, belonging to, or characteristic of some place or country other than the one under consideration
has a large foreign population
foreign languages
3
: of, relating to, or proceeding from some other person or material thing than the one under consideration
foreign aid
4
: alien in character : not connected or pertinent
this design is not foreign from some people's thoughtsJonathan Swift
5
: related to or dealing with other nations
foreign trade
6
a
: occurring in an abnormal situation in the living body and often introduced from outside
a foreign body lodged in the esophagus
b
: not recognized by the immune system as part of the self
foreign proteins
7
: not being within the jurisdiction of a political unit (such as a state)
foreign corporations
foreignness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for foreign

extrinsic, extraneous, foreign, alien mean external to a thing, its essential nature, or its original character.

extrinsic applies to what is distinctly outside the thing in question or is not contained in or derived from its essential nature.

sentimental value that is extrinsic to the house's market value

extraneous applies to what is on or comes from the outside and may or may not be capable of becoming an essential part.

arguments extraneous to the issue

foreign applies to what is so different as to be rejected or repelled or to be incapable of becoming assimilated.

techniques foreign to French cuisine

alien is stronger than foreign in suggesting opposition, repugnance, or irreconcilability.

a practice totally alien to her nature

Examples of foreign in a Sentence

They've visited several foreign countries. We don't get many foreign visitors. Have you studied any foreign languages? She has a foreign accent. the ministry of foreign affairs
Recent Examples on the Web Because of this regulatory crackdown, some companies are looking to expand in foreign markets, like the U.S., where censorship is less of an issue. Faye Bradley, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 While fighting these defamation lawsuits, Fox News and the other outlets have argued that Smartmatic’s reputation was already diminished due to these foreign scandals and alleged overseas improprieties — and not because of their lies about the 2020 election. Marshall Cohen, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Nationalist shoppers have previously attacked foreign brands for allegedly slighting China. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 12 Mar. 2024 Consider, for example, the way that G-7 countries have taken advantage of Russian dependence on shipping insurers based in the West, an industry that most foreign policymakers had probably never thought about before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Jami Miscik, Foreign Affairs, 11 Mar. 2024 Once there, the real estate tycoon broke with orthodox economic doctrine by using the guise of national security to slap tariffs on foreign steel and renegotiating NAFTA. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 For subscribers:Restaurant of the Year Alpino brings a foreign, yet familiar cuisine to Detroit No. 1: Coeur, Ferndale Chef Jordan Smith’s ambition to present a no-frills establishment is no indication of a bashful pedigree. Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 Remember your oath of office to defend against all threats foreign and domestic. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 Sometimes, the motive is to extort payments from foreign producers and importers. Dan Ikenson, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foreign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English forein, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin foranus on the outside, from Latin foris outside — more at forum

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreign was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near foreign

Cite this Entry

“Foreign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreign. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

foreign

adjective
for·​eign ˈfȯr-ən How to pronounce foreign (audio)
ˈfär-
1
: located outside a place or country and especially outside one's own country
foreign nations
2
: born in, belonging to, or characteristic of a place or country other than the one under consideration
foreign language
foreign customs
3
: related to or dealing with other nations
foreign affairs
foreign office
4
: not normally found in an area or part
a foreign body in the eye
foreignness noun

Medical Definition

foreign

adjective
for·​eign ˈfȯr-ən, ˈfär- How to pronounce foreign (audio)
1
: occurring in an abnormal situation in the living body and often introduced from outside
a foreign body lodged in the esophagus
2
: not recognized by the immune system as part of the self
foreign proteins

Legal Definition

foreign

adjective
for·​eign
: not being within the jurisdiction of a political unit (as a state)
especially : being from or in a state other than the one in which a matter is being considered
a foreign company doing business in South Carolina
a foreign executor submitting to the jurisdiction of this court
a foreign judgment
compare domestic

More from Merriam-Webster on foreign

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