alien

Alternative forms

• alyaunte (15th-16th centuries)

Etymology

From Middle English alien, a borrowing from Old French alien, aliene, from Latin aliēnus (“belonging to someone else, later exotic, foreign”), from Latin alius (“other”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos. Related to English else.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.li.ən/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

alien (plural aliens)

1. A person, animal, plant, or other thing which is from outside the family, group, organization, or territory under consideration.
2. A foreigner residing in a country.
   • 1773, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the laws of England: in four books, fifth edition, page 372:

     An alien born may purchase lands, or other estates: but not for his own use; for the king is thereupon entitled to them.

   • 1831, John Marshall, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, U.S. Government:

     The counsel have shown conclusively that they are not a state of the union, and have insisted that individually they are aliens, not owing allegiance to the United States.

   • 2004, Wesley Campbell, Stephen Court, Be a hero: the battle for mercy and social justice, Destiny Image Publishers, page 74:

     Aliens are aliens because of persecution or war or hardship or famine.

3. Any life form of extraterrestrial origin.
4. One excluded from certain privileges; one alienated or estranged.
   • Bible, Ephes. ii. 12

     Aliens from the common wealth of Israel.

Adjective

alien (comparative more alien, superlative most alien)

1. Not belonging to the same country, land, or government, or to the citizens or subjects thereof; foreign.

   alien subjects, enemies, property, or shores

2. Very unfamiliar, strange, or removed.

   principles alien to our religion

   • (Can we date this quote?), Wordsworth, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

     An alien sound of melancholy.

3. Pertaining to extraterrestrial life.

Verb

alien (third-person singular simple present aliens, present participle aliening, simple past and past participle aliened)

1. (transitive) To estrange; to alienate.
2. (law) To transfer the ownership of something.

Anagrams

• A-line, Aline, Elian, Elina, Nelia, aline, anile, elain, laine, liane, linea

Verb

alien

1. third-person plural present indicative form of aliar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.ljɛ̃/

• Audio (Paris)

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• Audio

  (file)

Noun

alien m (plural aliens)

1. alien (extraterrestrial)

Etymology

Latin aliēnus.

Adjective

alien m (oblique and nominative feminine singular aliene)

1. alien; foreign; non-native
   • 11th century, La Vie de Saint Alexis, BNF manuscript 19525

     alienes terres

     foreign lands

Noun

alien m (oblique plural aliens, nominative singular aliens, nominative plural alien)

1. alien (a non-native)

Etymology

From English alien (“extraterrestrial life form”), from Old French alien, aliene, from Latin aliēnus (“foreign”), from alius (“other”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈa.li.ẽj̃/

Noun

alien m (plural aliens)

1. alien; extraterrestrial life form