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for·eign

(fôrĭn, fŏr-)

adj.

a. Located away from one's native country: on business in a foreign city.

b. Of, characteristic of, or from a place or country other than the one being considered: a foreign custom.

c. Conducted or involved with other nations or governments; not domestic: foreign trade.

2. Situated in an abnormal or improper place in the body and typically introduced from outside: a foreign object in the eye.

3. Not natural; alien: Jealousy is foreign to her nature.

4. Not germane; irrelevant.

5. Subject to the jurisdiction of another political unit.

[Middle English forein, from Old French forain, from Late Latin forānus, on the outside, from Latin forās, outside; see dhwer- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

foreign·ness n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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