alien
Definitions
Foreign, strange, or unfamiliar; belonging to another place or nature
外来的；陌生的；性质迥异的
A foreigner, especially one who is not a citizen; an extraterrestrial being
外国人，外侨；外星人
Root Breakdown
Native EnglishFrom Latin alienus, 'belonging to another' (from alius, 'other'). Whatever belongs to another place or person is foreign and unfamiliar — so 'alien' covers the foreigner, the strange idea, and ultimately the being from another world.
Root ali still carries 27 more wordsWhy It Means This
Watch the meaning widen in circles. First 'belonging to another' → a foreigner (legal 'alien'). Then anything that feels not-yours → an alien idea, an alien environment. Finally, in 20th-century science fiction, the ultimate other: a creature from another planet. One root meaning, three sizes of strangeness.
Common Collocations
- 1.alien species外来物种
- 2.alien concept陌生概念
- 3.illegal alien非法移民
- 4.feel alien感到格格不入
Example Sentences
- 1.
The customs of the village felt completely alien to the new visitor.
- 2.
The law sets out the rights of resident aliens living in the country.
- 3.
The movie imagines aliens landing quietly in a small desert town.