stranger

[ streyn-jer ]

noun

1. a person with whom one has had no personal acquaintance:

   He is a perfect stranger to me.

   Antonyms: acquaintance

2. a newcomer in a place or locality:

   a stranger in town.

3. an outsider:

   They want no strangers in on the club meetings.

4. a person who is unacquainted with or unaccustomed to something (usually followed by to ):

   He is no stranger to poverty.

5. a person who is not a member of the family, group, community, or the like, as a visitor or guest:

   Our town shows hospitality to strangers.

6. Law. one not privy or party to an act, proceeding, etc.

stranger

/ ˈstreɪndʒə /

noun

1. any person whom one does not know
2. a person who is new to a particular locality, from another region, town, etc
3. a guest or visitor
4. foll by to a person who is unfamiliar (with) or new (to) something

   he is no stranger to computers

5. law a person who is neither party nor privy to a transaction

Other Words From

• stranger·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stranger¹

1325–75; Middle English, from Middle French estrangier, equivalent to estrange strange + -ier -ier ²

Synonym Study

Stranger, foreigner both refer to someone regarded as outside of or distinct from a particular group. Stranger may apply to one who does not belong to some group—social, professional, national, etc.—or may apply to a person with whom one is not acquainted. Foreigner emphasizes a difference in language, customs, and background.

Example Sentences

One might say they do: “Like the American dream, but in Bulgarian way,” the stranger responds.

From New York Times

Iris is a stranger in Seoul who has started teaching French to the wife.

From New York Times

Instead, what transpired were conversations in which strangers shared freely, and intimately.

From Los Angeles Times

Jelly Roll, no stranger to the tattooist's art himself, says he wants to give the prince a tattoo on the neck, as the pair are filmed in the East Side Ink tattoo studio.

From BBC

Because Monterey police say that they investigated her claim, she doubtlessly had to submit to other interviews with other strangers.

From Salon

Related Words

• alien
• foreigner
• guest
• immigrant
• intruder
• newcomer
• outsider
• visitor