strange

Definitions

strange comes from Latin extrāneus ('external, from outside,' built on extrā 'outside'), worn down through Old French estrange. Its first meaning was 'foreign' — a strange land was a foreign one. Since what is foreign is unfamiliar, and what is unfamiliar feels odd, the meaning slid step by step to 'weird.' Modern English keeps both ends: 'a strange country' (unfamiliar) and 'a strange noise' (odd).

Why It Means This

The two senses of strange are not separate — they are the same idea seen from inside and out. Anything 'from outside' your normal world is unfamiliar, and the unfamiliar easily reads as odd. That's why a single word covers both 'I felt strange in the new city' (unfamiliar) and 'that's a strange thing to say' (odd). When in doubt, ask: outside my experience → unfamiliar; outside what's normal → weird.

Common Collocations

• 1.strange feeling奇怪的感觉
• 2.strange behavior奇怪的行为
• 3.feel strange感觉不对劲
• 4.strange coincidence奇妙的巧合
• 5.a strange thing to say奇怪的说法

Example Sentences

• 1.

  There's a strange smell coming from the kitchen.

• 2.

  It felt strange to be back in my old school after ten years.

• 3.

  She gave me a strange look but said nothing.

• 4.

  Everything looked strange and new in a foreign country.

Easily Confused

strange vs weird vs odd — all mean 'not normal,' but weird is the strongest and most informal (slightly creepy or eerie: a weird dream), strange is neutral and the broadest (works for both 'unfamiliar' and 'odd'), and odd often points to one specific thing that doesn't fit (an odd number, an odd sock). Only strange also carries the older 'unfamiliar' sense — you can feel strange in a new place, but you don't 'feel weird' in the same way.

Synonym Comparison