alien
B2 (Upper Intermediate)Neutral to formal in legal/immigration contexts; informal in science fiction contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A being from another planet; something or someone unfamiliar, foreign, or not belonging to a particular place or environment.
A person who is not a citizen of the country in which they live, i.e., a foreign national; a concept or feeling that is completely opposed to one's own nature or beliefs.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word's primary meanings are: 1) Extraterrestrial being (common in popular culture). 2) Foreign national (legal/administrative term). 3) Profoundly unfamiliar or repugnant (literary/figurative).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The 'foreign national' meaning is more common in US legal/administrative contexts (e.g., 'resident alien'). In the UK, 'foreign national' is preferred in official contexts, though 'alien' is still used in law.
Connotations
In both varieties, the extraterrestrial meaning is dominant in popular culture. The 'foreign national' meaning can carry negative, dehumanising connotations in public discourse, making it less favoured in sensitive contexts.
Frequency
Overall frequency is similar. The extraterrestrial sense is high frequency in both; the legal sense is mid-frequency in US English, lower in UK English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be alien to somebody/somethingfeel alien (in a place)seem alienbecome alienregard/treat/view someone as an alienVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(be) alien to one's nature”
- “alien concept”
- “out of this world (positive, related to 'alien' quality)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in 'alien concepts to our corporate culture'.
Academic
Used in political science/law (e.g., 'alien suffrage'), sociology (e.g., 'social alienation'), and astrobiology.
Everyday
Primarily the extraterrestrial meaning; sometimes used to describe something very strange (e.g., 'This custom is alien to me').
Technical
Legal (immigration status), Astrobiology (search for alien life), and Science Fiction genres.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Archaic/Law) To transfer property or rights to another.
American English
- (Archaic/Law) To alienate property.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. 'Alienly' is non-standard/very rare.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form.)
adjective
British English
- The whole bureaucratic process felt utterly alien to her.
- They discovered an alien plant species.
American English
- His values were alien to the community.
- The search for alien intelligence continues.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film is about a friendly alien.
- He feels like an alien in a new school.
- The idea of working abroad was completely alien to her.
- Scientists are looking for signs of alien life.
- The legal status of an undocumented alien is complex.
- The landscape was so barren it looked almost alien.
- Philosophies utterly alien to Western thought were examined in the thesis.
- The 1950s saw a surge in cultural anxiety reflected in alien invasion narratives.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'A LIE N' - an alien might tell a lie about coming from another planet.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNFAMILIAR IS ALIEN / FOREIGN IS ANOTHER WORLD (e.g., 'His ideas were alien to the team').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'алиен' (direct transliteration) – use 'инопланетянин' for extraterrestrial, 'иностранец' for foreign national, 'чужой' for something foreign/strange.
- The legal term 'alien' has a specific administrative meaning broader than just 'иностранец'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'alien' to politely mean 'foreign colleague' (it can sound dehumanising).
- Confusing 'alien' (adj/noun) with 'alienate' (verb).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'alien' MOST likely to be considered insensitive or dehumanising?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in most social contexts. While it is a formal legal term in the US (e.g., 'resident alien'), in everyday language it reduces a person to a 'non-belonging other' and is considered dehumanising. Terms like 'foreign national', 'immigrant', or 'international resident' are preferred.
'Foreigner' is a general, neutral term for someone from another country. 'Alien' is a specific legal term for a non-citizen and carries stronger connotations of 'otherness' and 'not belonging'. 'Alien' is also the standard term for extraterrestrial beings.
Yes, commonly. As an adjective, it means 'unfamiliar and disturbing' or 'from another world'. E.g., 'an alien environment', 'alien customs'.
They share the Latin root 'alienus' meaning 'belonging to another'. 'Alienate' means to make someone feel isolated or estranged (i.e., to make them feel like an 'alien').