Foreign
/ˈfɒrən/
Definitions
2 meaningsBelonging to or connected with another country or nation; not native or local.
/ˈfɒrən/
Belonging to or characteristic of a country or language other than one's own.
We traveled to a foreign country.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're talking about a place you've never been, like Japan or France. Foreign means something that's from a different country or a different part of the world. It's like a different world, right?
👶 For kids: Something that is foreign is from a different place than where you live. Like, food from another country is foreign.
More Examples
She speaks several foreign languages.
He has a foreign accent.
The company invested in foreign markets.
How It's Used
"She enjoyed visiting foreign countries."
"The government is dealing with foreign policy issues."
"They established a foreign branch of their company."
Coming from or situated outside a particular place or area.
/ˈfɒrən/
Relating to or arising from a place or thing elsewhere; not belonging.
The report relied on foreign data.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're trying to find the source of something. If it's *foreign*, it comes from outside that specific place. Like if you're importing food from a different country, it's foreign food.
👶 For kids: If something comes from a different place than where it usually is, it's foreign.
More Examples
He had a foreign object in his eye.
She had a foreign accent.
The company made a foreign investment.
How It's Used
"Evidence was gathered from foreign sources."
"The company's foreign investments increased."
Idioms & expressions
foreign aid
Financial or other assistance given to a country by another country or an international organization.
"The country received a large amount of foreign aid after the disaster."
foreign exchange
The trading of currencies.
"I need to go to a foreign exchange to get some euros before my trip."
From Middle English *forein, foreyne*, from Old French *forain* (“outside, external, foreign”), from Medieval Latin *foraneus* (“belonging to the outside”), from Latin *foris* (“out of doors, outside”).
The word 'foreign' has been used in English since the 13th century, originally referring to something that is outside, strange, or unfamiliar.
Memory tip
Think of a map and a different country; it's *foreign*.