French word

étranger

Pronunciation

IPA/etʁɑ̃ʒe/

Meaning

  • masculine nounforeigner

Example

Il y a beaucoup d'étrangers dans cette ville.

There are many foreigners in this city.

Illustration for étranger (foreigner)

More examples

J'ai parlé à un étranger qui apprenait le français.

I talked to a foreigner who was learning French.

Core concept

A person whose connection to a place or community lies beyond its familiar boundaries.

Common phrases

  • parler à un étranger

    talk to a foreigner

  • un étranger

    a foreigner

Similar words

immigré: A person who left their country and settled in another one.
réfugié: A person who escaped persecution or war to seek safety and protection abroad.
migrant: A person who relocates between countries or regions for work or living conditions.
touriste: A short-term visitor to another country or region for tourism or vacation.

Definition in French

Désigne une personne venant de l'étranger ou inconnue dans un lieu donné.

Word origin

The French noun étranger comes through Old French estrangier from Latin extraneus, which referred to something external or belonging outside.

Usage tips

  • Étranger can mean either a foreign national or a stranger, so context shows whether origin or personal familiarity is intended.

Other meanings

  • strangernoun
  • foreignadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word