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foreign Definition

for·eign (fôr′in, fär′-)

adjective

  1. situated outside one's own country, province, locality, etc. foreign lands
  2. of, from, or characteristic of another country or countries foreign languages
  3. having to do with the relations of one country to another country or countries foreign affairs, foreign trade
  4. not subject to the laws or jurisdiction of the specified country
    1. not natural to the person or thing specified; not belonging; not characteristic a trait foreign to one's nature
    2. not pertinent; irrelevant
  6. not organically belonging; introduced from outside: said of substances found in parts of the body or in organisms where they do not naturally occur

Etymology: ME forein < OFr forein, forain < LL foranus, foreign, orig., external < L foras, out-of-doors, orig. acc. pl. of OL fora, door

foreign Related Forms

for′·eign·ness noun

foreign Synonyms

foreign

modif.

  1. Concerning a country, idea, or way of life not one's own

    remote, exotic, strange, alien, far, distant, inaccessible, unaccustomed, different, unknown, unfamiliar, extrinsic, extraneous, external, outside, expatriate, exiled, from abroad, not native, not domestic, international, nonnative, nonresident, alienated, estranged, antipodal, faraway, far-off, hyperborean, beyond the rainbow, unexplored, transoceanic, transmarine, ultramontane, at the far corners of the earth, at the uttermost end of the earth, extralocal, beyond the pale, outlandish, picturesque, colorful.

    Antonyms local*, national*, indigenous. *

  2. Coming from a country not one's own

    alien, imported, borrowed, nonnative, immigrant, barbarian, barbaric, adopted, coming from another land, not domestic; see also sense 1.

    Antonyms native*, domestic*, aboriginal. *

  3. Organically or essentially different

    heterogeneous, unassimilable, unrelated, extraneous; see irrelevant, unsuitable.

foreign implies that the external object is organically so different that it cannot become assimilated a foreign substance in the blood; alien emphasizes the incompatibility of the external object with the subject in question such anger seems alien to his nature; extrinsic refers to that which, coming from outside a thing, is not inherent in its real nature the souvenir had great extrinsic value for him; extraneous, often synonymous with extrinsic, may connote the possibility of integration of the external object into the thing to which it is added extraneous grace notes

foreign Law Definition

adj

Relating to another country or jurisdiction.

foreign Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • currency: Over £ 100 million of foreign currency is currently lying around in UK homes.
  • language: Teaching history in a foreign language: what language?
  • minister: Geoffrey Howe, Britain's foreign minister, was explicit.
  • policy: We often look on the United States in very negative ways due to their foreign policy.
  • investor: Moreover, foreign investors have been more cautious about jumping into the Polish market recently.
  • investment: Cuba: Limiting foreign investment of joint enterprises to 49 per cent.

Modifying Another Word

  • totally: This technology is totally foreign to the agricultural trade.
  • entirely: Eventually some people could feel that the world is communicating in an entirely foreign medium.
  • completely: Rather than being completely foreign and exotic, it belongs to the Mediterranean cultural area, common to all heirs of the Greek legacy.
  • then: My noble Friend accompanied the then Foreign Secretary ( Mr.
  • very: This idea is very foreign to us in our society and yet it is basic to our understanding of Scripture.
  • not: Im not foreign either so dont bring ethnics into it smartass.

Used with adjective complement

sell: Is it legal to sell foreign Coca-Cola in the UK?