alienage

[ eyl-yuh-nij, ey-lee-uh- ]

noun

, Law.

1. the state of being an alien.
2. the legal status of an alien:

   birthright citizenship for all children born inside the territory, without regard for the alienage of their parents.

Word History and Origins

Origin of alienage¹

First recorded in 1800–10; alien + -age

Example Sentences

“This is discrimination based on race, national origin, and alienage, which is forbidden by the Wisconsin Constitution,” attorney Daniel Lennington wrote in the suit, which was brought with the assistance of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty.

From Washington Times

The case, which is now pending in Miami federal court, turns on language in the Civil Rights Act of 1866 that prohibits “alienage discrimination,” or discrimination because a person is not a citizen of the United States.

From New York Times

It said the rejection was not unlawful because it was “not synonymous” with alienage discrimination.

From New York Times

"Discrimination based on the alienage of a U.S. citizen's spouse is presumptively unconstitutional and subject to strict scrutiny," the lawsuit argued.

From Salon

Instead, the court has provided a list of characteristics—race and sex, but also national origin, alienage, and illegitimacy—that it considers unchangeable, leaving legal scholars to connect the dots in most other instances.

From Slate