Alien

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈeɪ.li.É™n/

Alternative forms

• alyaunte 15th-16th centuries

Origin

Old French alien, aliene, from Latin aliēnus ("belonging to someone else, later exotic, foreign"), from alius ("other"), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos.

Full definition of alien

Noun

1. A person, animal, plant, or other thing which is from outside the family, group, organization, or territory under consideration.
2. A foreigner residing in a country.
• 1773, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the laws of England: in four books, Volume 1 (Fifth Edition), page 372An alien born may purchase lands, or other estates: but not for his own use; for the king is thereupon entitled to them.
• 1831, John Marshall, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, U.S. GovernmentThe counsel have shown conclusively that they are not a state of the union, and have insisted that individually they are aliens, not owing allegiance to the United States.
• 2004, Wesley Campbell, Stephen Court, Be a hero: the battle for mercy and social justice, Destiny Image Publishers, page 74Aliens are aliens because of persecution or war or hardship or famine.
3. Any life form of extraterrestrial origin.
4. One excluded from certain privileges; one alienated or estranged.
• Bible, Ephes. ii. 12Aliens from the common wealth of Israel.

Synonyms

• fremd

Related terms

• alienage
• space alien

Adjective

1. Pertaining to an alien.
2. Not belonging to the same country, land, or government, or to the citizens or subjects thereof; foreign.alien subjects, enemies, property, or shores
3. Very unfamiliar, strange, or removed.principles alien to our religion
• WordsworthAn alien sound of melancholy.

Verb

1. (transitive) To estrange; to alienate.
2. (legal) To transfer the ownership of something.

Alternative forms

• aliene

Anagrams

• aline, Aline, A-line, anile, laine, linea