of, involving, located in, or coming from another country, area, people, etc: a foreign resident dealing or concerned with another country, area, people, etc: a foreign office not pertinent or related: a matter foreign to the discussion not familiar; strange in an abnormal place or position: foreign matter, foreign bodies
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
for•eign /ˈfɔrɪn, ˈfɑr-/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- of or coming from another country or nation;
not domestic or native:foreign cars. - Government of or relating to contact or dealings with other countries:[before a noun]foreign trade deficit.
- not belonging to the place or body where found:[before a noun]some foreign matter in my soup.
- not related to or connected with the thing under consideration:an issue foreign to our discussion.
for•eign
(fôr′in, for′-),USA pronunciation adj.
for′eign•ly, adv.
for′eign•ness, n.
- of, pertaining to, or derived from another country or nation;
not native:foreign cars. - Governmentof or pertaining to contact or dealings with other countries;
connected with foreign affairs. - external to one's own country or nation:a foreign country.
- carried on abroad, or with other countries:foreign trade.
- belonging to or coming from another district, province, etc.
- located outside a specific district, province, etc.
- Lawmaking
- of or pertaining to law outside of local jurisdiction.
- of or pertaining to another jurisdiction, as of another nation or state.
- belonging to or proceeding from other persons or things:a statement supported by foreign testimony.
- not belonging to the place or body where found:foreign matter in a chemical mixture.
- not related to or connected with the thing under consideration:foreign to our discussion.
- alien in character;
irrelevant or inappropriate;
remote. - strange or unfamiliar.
- Vulgar Latin *forānus, derivative of Latin forās outside
- Old French forain, forein
- Middle English forein 1200–50
for′eign•ness, n.
- 1, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged alien.
- 4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged international.
- 11.See corresponding entry in Unabridged extraneous, outside.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'foreign phrase' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):