alien

1 of 3

adjective

ˈā-lē-ən How to pronounce alien (audio)
ˈāl-yən
1
a
: belonging or relating to another person, place, or thing : strange
an alien environment
b
: relating, belonging, or owing allegiance to another country or government : foreign
alien residents
c
: exotic sense 1
alien plants
d
: coming from another world : extraterrestrial
alien beings
an alien spaceship
When it comes to knowing what alien life forms might be like, we don't have any idea.Kate Shuster
2
: differing in nature or character typically to the point of incompatibility
ideas alien to democracy
alienly adverb
alienness
ˈā-lē-ən-nəs How to pronounce alien (audio)
ˈāl-yən-nəs
noun

alien

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: a person who is not of a particular group or place
aliens seeking asylum in the U.S.
In this way it came to pass that those scattered linen-weavers—emigrants from the town into the country—were to the last regarded as aliens by their rustic neighbours …George Eliot
… she whom we had deemed so … pious, at last died an alien from the church …Delia Salter Bacon
b
: a foreign-born resident who has not been naturalized and is still a subject or citizen of a foreign country
broadly : a foreign-born citizen
2
: extraterrestrial
a movie about an invasion of Earth by monstrous aliens
3
: exotic sense 1
Russian thistle, kudzu, and other aliens

alien

3 of 3

verb

aliened; aliening; aliens

transitive verb

1
2
: to transfer the title of (property)
Choose the Right Synonym for alien

extrinsic, extraneous, foreign, alien mean external to a thing, its essential nature, or its original character.

extrinsic applies to what is distinctly outside the thing in question or is not contained in or derived from its essential nature.

sentimental value that is extrinsic to the house's market value

extraneous applies to what is on or comes from the outside and may or may not be capable of becoming an essential part.

arguments extraneous to the issue

foreign applies to what is so different as to be rejected or repelled or to be incapable of becoming assimilated.

techniques foreign to French cuisine

alien is stronger than foreign in suggesting opposition, repugnance, or irreconcilability.

a practice totally alien to her nature

Examples of alien in a Sentence

Adjective they were careful to learn of any alien business customs before trying to expand overseas it's completely alien to her nature to wish evil of anyone Noun aliens seeking asylum in the U.S. He claims that he was captured by space aliens. Verb such angry outbursts will rapidly alien any friends you might possibly have left the couple plans to alien the adjoining house lot to their eldest son
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The office also rejected the claim that US had or was covering up a program to reverse-engineer alien technology. Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 An overview of their accounts makes plain that most of the reports of alien technology are, at best, secondhand. Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Of course, there are alien and black hole conspiracies. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2024 The deep ocean, with its alien landscapes and mysterious inhabitants, continues to reveal the boundless potential of life to thrive in even the most extreme environments, showcasing the resilience and versatility of the natural world. Scott Travers, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Share [Findings] Astrophysicists argued that the development of advanced alien technology requires an atmosphere composed of at least 18 percent oxygen. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 Yet both ideas are less alien as the war edges into its third year. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 23 Feb. 2024 The conspiracy theories about Swift and Kelce have as much legitimacy as alien babies and Elvis sightings and should be taken as seriously. USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 Their paper found that clearing mature infestations of alien trees, such as pines, from areas that would otherwise be treeless increased available water by 15 to 30 percent. Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024
Noun
However, an argument ensues between them since Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens exist, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts exist. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 The report also challenges the accounts of whistle-blowers and former government officials who have said the United States is hiding evidence of aliens or extraterrestrial material from the public. Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 This idea that there could be something buried and hidden down there: aliens, old ships, all of this. Josh Weiss, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 In January, Perry shared pics on Instagram of the couple dressed up as what appeared to be couture aliens for a theme party. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 18 Feb. 2024 At a conference table flanked by large screens, a stone sculpture of an alien wore a Biden-Harris 2020 cap. TIME, 8 Feb. 2024 There are blue seats at the bar, one wall that looks like a lava lamp, one wall with sparkles, an inflatable alien and lamps that look like circular spaceships. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 The frustrated South Tampa residents who have heard the puzzling deep bass tones periodically since 2022 have proposed a variety of theories, ranging from boat parties to secret military projects to aliens, according to one citizen, Sara Healy, who launched an investigation into the noise. Megan Myers, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2024 Universal released a Super Bowl ad on Sunday for David Leitch’s thriller, which features multiple action sequences, aliens and space cowboys. Michaela Zee, Variety, 11 Feb. 2024
Verb
The film follows a ragtag group of actors (played by Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, among other stars) from an ‘80s sci-fi series who aliens unexpectedly abduct during a convention appearance. Matt Juul, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2023 In particular, artist Bryan Hitch's work with writer Mark Millar on The Ultimates made the Avengers cool and provided a useful blueprint for the eventual Marvel Cinematic Universe (from inventing the Chitauri aliens to drawing Nick Fury to look like Samuel L. Jackson). Christian Holub, EW.com, 22 Feb. 2023 While on Earth, Thomas patents alien technology and gets very rich, with the intention of using it to build a vessel to bring water home. Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Sep. 2022 But even that description fails to capture what Yagi is after: those parts of us, precious and possibly hostile, which flower in darkness, disintegrate when described, and can be compared only to alien life-forms. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Neanderthal to alien, and yet strangely well-suited for the modern era. Nick Remsen, CNN, 30 Sep. 2021 These stars and related systems should be priority one for current and future efforts to seek out exoplanets that may bear not only life but perhaps even alien technological civilizations, some astronomers say. Tess Joosse, Scientific American, 1 July 2021 Can alien smog lead us to extraterrestrial civilizations? Whitson Gordon, Wired, 8 Apr. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alien.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, "foreign," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin aliēnus "not one's own, of others, foreign, strange," derivative of alius "other" (perhaps going back to *aliai-nos, from an adverbialized locative derivative *aliai "elsewhere") — more at else

Noun

Middle English, "foreigner, outsider," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin aliēnus "slave belonging to another person, foreigner, stranger," noun derivative of aliēnus, adjective, "not one's own, foreign" — more at alien entry 1

Verb

Middle English alienen "to transfer or surrender property rights, exclude," borrowed from Anglo-French aliener (Middle French, "to estrange, deprive of reason"), borrowed from Latin alienāre "to transfer (goods, property), lose possession of, render hostile" — more at alienate

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of alien was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near alien

Cite this Entry

“Alien.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alien. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

alien

1 of 2 adjective
ˈā-lē-ən How to pronounce alien (audio)
ˈāl-yən
1
: relating or belonging to another country : foreign
alien residents
2
3
: wholly different in nature or character
opinions alien to his outlook

alien

2 of 2 noun
1
: a resident who was born elsewhere and is not a citizen of the country in which he or she now lives
2
: a being that comes from or lives in another world : extraterrestrial
3
: exotic

Legal Definition

alien

1 of 3 adjective
: relating, belonging, or owing allegiance to another country or government

alien

2 of 3 noun
: a foreign-born resident who has not been naturalized and is still a subject or citizen of a foreign country
illegal aliens
an alien lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residenceU.S. Code

alien

3 of 3 transitive verb
Etymology

Adjective

Latin alienus not one's own, foreign

More from Merriam-Webster on alien

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