Definitions for foreign
ˈfɔr ɪn, ˈfɒr-for·eign

Princeton's WordNet(3.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. foreign(adj)

   of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)

   "foreign trade"; "a foreign office"

2. foreign, strange(adj)

   relating to or originating in or characteristic of another place or part of the world

   "foreign nations"; "a foreign accent"; "on business in a foreign city"

3. alien, foreign(adj)

   not contained in or deriving from the essential nature of something

   "an economic theory alien to the spirit of capitalism"; "the mysticism so foreign to the French mind and temper"; "jealousy is foreign to her nature"

4. extraneous, foreign(adj)

   not belonging to that in which it is contained; introduced from an outside source

   "water free of extraneous matter"; "foreign particles in milk"

Wiktionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. foreign(Noun)

   foreigner

   Etymology: forein, from forain, from Vulgar Latin *, from foras, also spelled foris. Displaced native ellendish (from elelendisc, compare ellende, elland), eltheodish (from elþeodig, elþeodisc), and non-native peregrin (from peregrin).

2. foreign(Adjective)

   From a different country.

   There are many more foreign students in Europe since the Erasmus scheme started.

   Etymology: forein, from forain, from Vulgar Latin *, from foras, also spelled foris. Displaced native ellendish (from elelendisc, compare ellende, elland), eltheodish (from elþeodig, elþeodisc), and non-native peregrin (from peregrin).

3. foreign(Adjective)

   belonging to a different culture.

   Eating with chopsticks was a foreign concept to him.

   Etymology: forein, from forain, from Vulgar Latin *, from foras, also spelled foris. Displaced native ellendish (from elelendisc, compare ellende, elland), eltheodish (from elþeodig, elþeodisc), and non-native peregrin (from peregrin).

4. foreign(Adjective)

   Of an object, etc, in a place where it does not belong.

   foreign body

   Etymology: forein, from forain, from Vulgar Latin *, from foras, also spelled foris. Displaced native ellendish (from elelendisc, compare ellende, elland), eltheodish (from elþeodig, elþeodisc), and non-native peregrin (from peregrin).

5. foreign(Adjective)

   From a different one of the states of the United States, as of a state of residence or incorporation.

   Etymology: forein, from forain, from Vulgar Latin *, from foras, also spelled foris. Displaced native ellendish (from elelendisc, compare ellende, elland), eltheodish (from elþeodig, elþeodisc), and non-native peregrin (from peregrin).

Webster Dictionary(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Foreign(adj)

   outside; extraneous; separated; alien; as, a foreign country; a foreign government

2. Foreign(adj)

   not native or belonging to a certain country; born in or belonging to another country, nation, sovereignty, or locality; as, a foreign language; foreign fruits

3. Foreign(adj)

   remote; distant; strange; not belonging; not connected; not pertaining or pertient; not appropriate; not harmonious; not agreeable; not congenial; -- with to or from; as, foreign to the purpose; foreign to one's nature

4. Foreign(adj)

   held at a distance; excluded; exiled

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Foreign

   for′in, adj. belonging to another country: from abroad: alien: not belonging to, unconnected: not appropriate.—adj. For′eign-built, built in a foreign country.—ns. For′eigner, a native of another country; For′eignness, the quality of being foreign: want of relation to something: remoteness. [O. Fr. forain—Low L. foraneus—L. foras, out of doors.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. foreign

   Of another country or society; a word used adjectively, being joined with divers substantives in several senses.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. foreign

   Not of one’s country; not native; alien; from abroad.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'foreign' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #559

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'foreign' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2280

3. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'foreign' in Adjectives Frequency: #67

How to pronounce foreign?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say foreign in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of foreign in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of foreign in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of foreign in a Sentence

1. Eric Brewer:

   Some big decisions come out of meetings between the President and foreign leaders that bear on policy direction, nSC staff are the connective tissue between the White House and interagency. So giving a readout of these calls and meetings to the interagency is critical to getting things done.

2. Jan Masek:

   In the last 24-48 months, the Chinese have become markedly more active and professional in foreign acquisitions. So investment banks now approach the Chinese in virtually every auction.

3. Naoki Tashiro:

   Trading volume is surging while foreign investors have been selling late last week.

4. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa:

   We have to be loyal to the commitments we have adopted, especially the ones that are part of our foreign policy, such as the European Union, without rigor and financial transparency the risk of returning to crises is painfully larger.

5. Leung Chun-ying:

   Any law-enforcement entity, including mainland and foreign, does not have the right to exercise power in Hong Kong, it is illegal for any overseas entities to enforce law in Hong Kong and we shall not accept it.

Images & Illustrations of foreign

Popularity rank by frequency of use