interloper

noun

in·​ter·​lop·​er ˌin-tər-ˈlō-pər How to pronounce interloper (audio)
ˈin-tər-ˌlō-
: one that interlopes: such as
a
: one that intrudes in a place or sphere of activity
b
: an illegal or unlicensed trader

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The History of Interloper

The -loper part of interloper is believed to be either from an English dialectal word meaning "leap" or from a Dutch word meaning "to run." (The prefix inter- means "between" or "among.") An interloper is essentially one that jumps into the midst of things without an invitation to do so.

Examples of interloper in a Sentence

I had hoped to help my neighbors, but they regarded me as an interloper. summer residents were regarded as interlopers who had no deep commitment to the town's welfare
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This relatively tiny interloper traveled like a dart through the core of the Bullseye about 50 million years ago, leaving rings in its wake like ripples in a pond. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2025 These intestinal interlopers include Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale, which are the leading hookworms worldwide, including in the US. Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025 There were members of various London bands in that sauna of a room, keen to check out the buzz around these Midlands interlopers. Ian Penman, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 But there is something in the air that even an outsider could feel at the rehearsal, which was open to donors and press interlopers. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for interloper

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1590, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of interloper was circa 1590

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Cite this Entry

“Interloper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interloper. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

interloper

noun
in·​ter·​lop·​er ˌint-ər-ˈlō-pər How to pronounce interloper (audio)
ˈint-ər-ˌlō-pər
: a person who intrudes or interferes wrongly or meddlesomely

More from Merriam-Webster on interloper

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