alien
UK: ˈeɪ.li.ən | US: ˈeɪ.li.ən
n. a being from another planet; a foreigner or outsider
adj. belonging to a foreign country or culture; unfamiliar or strange
vt. (legal) to transfer ownership of property
alien = ali<other> + en<adjective suffix>
- ali<other>: From Latin alius (other, different), reflecting the concept of "otherness."
- en<adjective suffix>: A suffix forming adjectives, often indicating origin or nature (e.g., "golden").
Etymology Origin:
The word "alien" traces back to Latin alienus (belonging to another), derived from alius (other). It entered Middle English via Old French alien, retaining its core idea of "otherness." Over time, it expanded from describing foreignness (e.g., people, cultures) to extraterrestrial beings in modern sci-fi contexts. The legal verb sense (to transfer property) arose from the notion of "making something belong to another."
The movie depicts an alien invasion from Mars.
She felt like an alien in the unfamiliar city.
The customs seemed alien to the travelers.
The court ruled to alien the land to the new owner.
His ideas were alien to the traditional philosophy.