Link Centre Dictionary

alien

UK/ˈeɪ.li.ən/ US/ˈeɪ.ljən/ common
adjective (2) noun (3) verb (2)

adjective

1.

not contained in or deriving from the essential nature of something

  • “an economic theory alien to the spirit of capitalism”
  • “the mysticism so foreign to the French mind and temper”
  • “jealousy is foreign to her nature”
Synonyms
Similar
2.

being or from or characteristic of another place or part of the world

  • “alien customs”
  • “exotic plants in a greenhouse”
  • “exotic cuisine”
Synonyms
Similar

noun

1.

a person who comes from a foreign country; someone who does not owe allegiance to your country

Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

Synonyms
3.

verb

1.

transfer property or ownership

  • “The will aliened the property to the heirs”
Synonyms
2.

arouse hostility or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness

  • “She alienated her friends when she became fanatically religious”
Synonyms

Origin

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.

Phrases

  • alien abduction
  • alien hand syndrome
  • alien nucleic acid
  • alien prior
  • alien priory
  • alien reproduction vehicle
  • alien space bats
  • alien species

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.