different between foreign vs unusual

English

Alternative forms

• forraine (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English foreyn, forein, from Old French forain, from Vulgar Latin *for?nus (“outsider, outlander”), from Latin for?s (“outside, outdoors”), also spelled for?s (“outside, outdoors”).

Displaced native Middle English elendish, ellendish (“foreign”) (from Old English elelendisc, compare Old English ellende (“foreign”), elland (“foreign land”)), Middle English eltheodi, eltheodish (“foreign”) (from Old English elþ?odi?, elþ?odisc (“foreign”)), and non-native Middle English peregrin (“foreign”) (from Old French peregrin).

The silent -g- added perhaps by analogy with reign (compare also sovereign which was similarly altered). No relation with German fremd, Dutch vreemd.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?f???n/, /?f???n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?f???n/, /?f???n/
• Rhymes: -?r?n, -?r?n
• Hyphenation: for?eign

Adjective

foreign (comparative more foreign, superlative most foreign)

1. Located outside a country or place, especially one's own.

   foreign markets; foreign soil

2. Originating from, characteristic of, belonging to, or being a citizen of a country or place other than the one under discussion.

   foreign car; foreign word; foreign citizen; foreign trade

3. Relating to a different nation.

   foreign policy; foreign navies

4. Not characteristic of or naturally taken in by an organism or system.

   foreign body; foreign substance; foreign gene; foreign species

5. (with to, formerly with from) Alien; strange.
6. (obsolete) Held at a distance; excluded; exiled.
7. (US, state law) From a different one of the states of the United States, as of a state of residence or incorporation.
8. Belonging to a different organization, company etc.

9. (obsolete) Outside, outdoors, outdoor.

Synonyms

• (from a different country): overseas, international
• (strange): alien, fremd
• (in a place where it does not belong): extraneous

Antonyms

• (from a different country): domestic
• (not characteristic): native
• (native to an area): indigenous

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

foreign (plural foreigns)

1. A foreign person, particularly:
   1. (now informal) A foreigner: a person from another country.
      • 2011 August 30, "White House Extremely Worried About People Saying Dumb Stuff on 9/11" in Gawker:

        The messaging instructions come in two sets: one for domestics, another for the foreigns.

   2. (obsolete) An outsider: a person from another place or group.
   3. (obsolete) A non-guildmember.
2. (obsolete) A foreign ship.
3. (obsolete) Clipping of chamber foreign: an outhouse.
   • 1303, Richard Mannyng, Handlyng Synne, l. 7436 f.:

     Ful foule ys þat forreyne
     Þat ys comoun for al certeyne.

4. A foreign area, particularly:
   1. (now dialect) An area of a community that lies outside the legal town or parish limits.
   2. (obsolete, usually in the plural) An area of a monastery outside its legal limits or serving as an outer court.
5. Short for various phrases, including foreign language, foreign parts, and foreign service.

Synonyms

• (outhouse): chamber foreign; see also Thesaurus:bathroom

Translations

References

• "foreign, adj. and n." in the Oxford English Dictionary (1897), Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Anagrams

• Rengifo

English

Alternative forms

• unusuall (obsolete)

Etymology

From un- +? usual.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?ju??u?l/, /?n?ju???l/

Adjective

unusual (comparative more unusual, superlative most unusual)

1. Not usual, out of the ordinary

   Synonyms: uncommon, rare, extraordinary, remarkable; see also Thesaurus:strange

   Antonyms: normal, usual, common, ordinary

Derived terms

• unusually
• unusualness

Translations

Noun

unusual (plural unusuals)

1. Something that is unusual; an anomaly.
   • 1905, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Return of Sherlock Holmes

     I should say that it was very unusual for such men to leave a bottle half empty. How do all these unusuals strike you, Watson?

   • 1939, Pauline Redmond, Wilfrid Redmond, Business paper writing, a career (page 154)

     Two of these unusuals have been selected for special effort throughout the season. They are kneeling pads and water-proof garden gloves. During the bulb planting season they are displayed with the bulbs […]

References

• unusual at OneLook Dictionary Search