# alien
## English
### Alternative forms

* alyaunte (15th–16th centuries)

### Etymology

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.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈeɪ.li.ən/
* Audio (US):(file)

### Noun

alien (plural aliens)
* A person, animal, plant, or other thing which is from outside the family, group, organization, or territory under consideration.
** 2023 March 21 (last accessed), NOBANIS: European Network on Invasive Species‎:An animated film intended to inform travellers about the dangers that alien species present to Arctic ecosystems is being released today. The message is that it is important to ensure that nobody accidentally brings alien species with them as stowaways in their clothing, baggage or equipment.
* (sometimes derogatory) A person in a country not their own.
** 1773, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the laws of England: in four books, 5th edition, volume 1, page 372:An alien born may purchase lands, or other estates: but not for his own use; for the king is thereupon entitled to them.
** 1831, John Marshall, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, U.S. Government:The counsel have shown conclusively that they are not a state of the union, and have insisted that individually they are aliens, not owing allegiance to the United States.
** 1987, “Englishman in New York”, in …Nothing Like the Sun, performed by Sting:I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien I'm an Englishman in New York
** 2004, Wesley Campbell, Stephen Court, Be a hero: the battle for mercy and social justice, Destiny Image Publishers, page 74:Aliens are aliens because of persecution or war or hardship or famine.
* Any life form of extraterrestrial or extradimensional origin.
** 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Hello from the Reds:You might not have much use for me. You spend too much time with the damn aliens, pretending your time in the gangs back on Earth never happened. I know you weren't happy when I found you at the Citadel a couple years back. But I'm glad you're on this. I hope you find whoever took my people on Freedom's Progress and kick their scaly asses. I'm glad it's a human finding these bastards.
* One excluded from certain privileges; one alienated or estranged.
** 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ephesians 2:12, column 2:[…] aliens from the common wealth of Iſrael […]
** 1928, Philip Mauro, “The Character of the Sermon on the Mount”, in The Gospel of the Kingdom, with an Examination of Modern Dispensationalism‎ (Religion), Boston: Hamilton Brothers, →OCLC, page 182:The One Who, in this marvellous utterance, brings those who were by nature aliens and enemies of God into intimate and holy relations with God the Father, is the very One Who had to come to offer that Sacrifice without which such relationship would have been forever an impossibility; without which there would have been nothing for the best of men but death and judgment and the lake of fire.

#### Synonyms

* (person, etc. from outside): fremd (rare, chiefly dialectal), guest, stranger
* (foreigner): outlander; see also Thesaurus:foreigner
* (life form of extraterrestrial origin): See also Thesaurus:extraterrestrial

#### Derived terms

* alien abduction
* alienage
* alien hand syndrome
* alienish
* alienlike
* alien nucleic acid
* alien prior
* alien priory
* aliensdidit
* alien space bats
* casual alien
* grey alien, gray alien
* illegal alien
* resident alien
* space alien
* undocumented alien

#### Translations
### Adjective

alien (comparative more alien, superlative most alien)
* Not belonging to the same country, land, or government, or to the citizens or subjects thereof; foreign.
    Synonyms: allotrious, strange; see also Thesaurus:foreign
    alien subjects, enemies, property, or shores
* Very unfamiliar, strange, or removed.
    Synonyms: monstrous, weird; see also Thesaurus:strange
    principles alien to our religion
** 1850, William Wordsworth, The Prelude:An alien sound of melancholy.
* Pertaining to extraterrestrial life; typical of an extraterrestrial creature.
    Synonyms: extraterrestrial, nonterrestrial, xenomorphic
** 1982, Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything, page 8:It had a peculiar alien tallness, a peculiar alien flattened head, peculiar slitty little alien eyes[.]

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

### Verb

alien (third-person singular simple present aliens, present participle aliening, simple past and past participle aliened)
* (transitive) To estrange; to alienate.
* (law) To transfer the ownership of something.

#### Alternative forms

* aliene

### Anagrams

* linea, laine, elain, anile, Aline, liane, Eilan, Elian, Elina, aline, A-line, Elain, Nelia

## Catalan
### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central, Balearic) [əˈli.ən]
* IPA: (Valencia) [aˈli.en]

### Verb

alien
* third-person plural present indicative of aliar

## Dutch
### Etymology

Borrowed from English alien (“stranger, foreigner”), from Middle English alien, from Old French alien, from Latin aliēnus.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈeː.li.ən/
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: ali‧en

### Noun

alien m (plural aliens)
* an alien, an extraterrestrial
    Synonyms: buitenaards wezen, ruimtewezen

## Finnish
### Etymology

< English alien, from Ridley Scott's film Alien from 1979.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɑlien/, [ˈɑ̝lie̞n]
* IPA: /ˈei̯lien/, [ˈe̞i̯lie̞n]
* Rhymes: -ɑlien
* Hyphenation: ali‧en

### Noun

alien
* alien, extraterrestial (extraterrestrial creature, especially a dangerous one)
    Synonym: avaruusolento

#### Declension

Possessive forms of alien (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alienini
alienini
accusative
nom.
alienini
alienini
gen.
alienini
genitive
alienini
alienieni alieneideni alieneitteni
partitive
alieniani
alieneitani alienejani
inessive
alienissani
alieneissani
elative
alienistani
alieneistani
illative
alieniini
alieneihini
adessive
alienillani
alieneillani
ablative
alieniltani
alieneiltani
allative
alienilleni
alieneilleni
essive
alieninani
alieneinani
translative
alienikseni
alieneikseni
abessive
alienittani
alieneittani
instructive
comitative
—alieneineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alienisi
alienisi
accusative
nom.
alienisi
alienisi
gen.
alienisi
genitive
alienisi
alieniesi alieneidesi alieneittesi
partitive
alieniasi
alieneitasi alienejasi
inessive
alienissasi
alieneissasi
elative
alienistasi
alieneistasi
illative
alieniisi
alieneihisi
adessive
alienillasi
alieneillasi
ablative
alieniltasi
alieneiltasi
allative
alienillesi
alieneillesi
essive
alieninasi
alieneinasi
translative
alieniksesi
alieneiksesi
abessive
alienittasi
alieneittasi
instructive
comitative
—alieneinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alienimme
alienimme
accusative
nom.
alienimme
alienimme
gen.
alienimme
genitive
alienimme
alieniemme alieneidemme alieneittemme
partitive
alieniamme
alieneitamme alienejamme
inessive
alienissamme
alieneissamme
elative
alienistamme
alieneistamme
illative
alieniimme
alieneihimme
adessive
alienillamme
alieneillamme
ablative
alieniltamme
alieneiltamme
allative
alienillemme
alieneillemme
essive
alieninamme
alieneinamme
translative
alieniksemme
alieneiksemme
abessive
alienittamme
alieneittamme
instructive
comitative
—alieneinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alieninne
alieninne
accusative
nom.
alieninne
alieninne
gen.
alieninne
genitive
alieninne
alienienne alieneidenne alieneittenne
partitive
alienianne
alieneitanne alienejanne
inessive
alienissanne
alieneissanne
elative
alienistanne
alieneistanne
illative
alieniinne
alieneihinne
adessive
alienillanne
alieneillanne
ablative
alieniltanne
alieneiltanne
allative
alienillenne
alieneillenne
essive
alieninanne
alieneinanne
translative
alieniksenne
alieneiksenne
abessive
alienittanne
alieneittanne
instructive
comitative
—alieneinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alieninsa
alieninsa
accusative
nom.
alieninsa
alieninsa
gen.
alieninsa
genitive
alieninsa
alieniensa alieneidensa alieneittensa
partitive
alieniaan alieniansa
alieneitaan alienejaan alieneitansa alienejansa
inessive
alienissaan alienissansa
alieneissaan alieneissansa
elative
alienistaan alienistansa
alieneistaan alieneistansa
illative
alieniinsa
alieneihinsa
adessive
alienillaan alienillansa
alieneillaan alieneillansa
ablative
alieniltaan alieniltansa
alieneiltaan alieneiltansa
allative
alienilleen alienillensa
alieneilleen alieneillensa
essive
alieninaan alieninansa
alieneinaan alieneinansa
translative
alienikseen alieniksensa
alieneikseen alieneiksensa
abessive
alienittaan alienittansa
alieneittaan alieneittansa
instructive
comitative
—alieneineen alieneinensa :
Possessive forms of alien (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alienini
alienini
accusative
nom.
alienini
alienini
gen.
alienini
genitive
alienini
alienieni alieneideni alieneitteni
partitive
alieniäni
alieneitäni alienejäni
inessive
alienissäni
alieneissäni
elative
alienistäni
alieneistäni
illative
alieniini
alieneihini
adessive
alienilläni
alieneilläni
ablative
alieniltäni
alieneiltäni
allative
alienilleni
alieneilleni
essive
alieninäni
alieneinäni
translative
alienikseni
alieneikseni
abessive
alienittäni
alieneittäni
instructive
comitative
—alieneineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alienisi
alienisi
accusative
nom.
alienisi
alienisi
gen.
alienisi
genitive
alienisi
alieniesi alieneidesi alieneittesi
partitive
alieniäsi
alieneitäsi alienejäsi
inessive
alienissäsi
alieneissäsi
elative
alienistäsi
alieneistäsi
illative
alieniisi
alieneihisi
adessive
alienilläsi
alieneilläsi
ablative
alieniltäsi
alieneiltäsi
allative
alienillesi
alieneillesi
essive
alieninäsi
alieneinäsi
translative
alieniksesi
alieneiksesi
abessive
alienittäsi
alieneittäsi
instructive
comitative
—alieneinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alienimme
alienimme
accusative
nom.
alienimme
alienimme
gen.
alienimme
genitive
alienimme
alieniemme alieneidemme alieneittemme
partitive
alieniämme
alieneitämme alienejämme
inessive
alienissämme
alieneissämme
elative
alienistämme
alieneistämme
illative
alieniimme
alieneihimme
adessive
alienillämme
alieneillämme
ablative
alieniltämme
alieneiltämme
allative
alienillemme
alieneillemme
essive
alieninämme
alieneinämme
translative
alieniksemme
alieneiksemme
abessive
alienittämme
alieneittämme
instructive
comitative
—alieneinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alieninne
alieninne
accusative
nom.
alieninne
alieninne
gen.
alieninne
genitive
alieninne
alienienne alieneidenne alieneittenne
partitive
alieniänne
alieneitänne alienejänne
inessive
alienissänne
alieneissänne
elative
alienistänne
alieneistänne
illative
alieniinne
alieneihinne
adessive
alienillänne
alieneillänne
ablative
alieniltänne
alieneiltänne
allative
alienillenne
alieneillenne
essive
alieninänne
alieneinänne
translative
alieniksenne
alieneiksenne
abessive
alienittänne
alieneittänne
instructive
comitative
—alieneinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
alieninsä
alieninsä
accusative
nom.
alieninsä
alieninsä
gen.
alieninsä
genitive
alieninsä
alieniensä alieneidensä alieneittensä
partitive
alieniään alieniänsä
alieneitään alienejään alieneitänsä alienejänsä
inessive
alienissään alienissänsä
alieneissään alieneissänsä
elative
alienistään alienistänsä
alieneistään alieneistänsä
illative
alieniinsä
alieneihinsä
adessive
alienillään alienillänsä
alieneillään alieneillänsä
ablative
alieniltään alieniltänsä
alieneiltään alieneiltänsä
allative
alienilleen alienillensä
alieneilleen alieneillensä
essive
alieninään alieninänsä
alieneinään alieneinänsä
translative
alienikseen alieniksensä
alieneikseen alieneiksensä
abessive
alienittään alienittänsä
alieneittään alieneittänsä
instructive
comitative
—alieneineen alieneinensä :

## French
### Etymology

Borrowed from English alien (“stranger, foreigner”), from Middle English alien, from Old French alien, from Latin aliēnus.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /a.ljɛn/
* Audio (Paris):(file)
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

alien m (plural aliens)
* alien (extraterrestrial)

## Middle English
### Etymology 1

From Old French alien, aliene, from Latin aliēnus. Some forms (chiefly nominal) show assimilation to the suffix -ant.

#### Alternative forms

* alyon, alean, alyen, aliand, aliaund, aliant, alyant

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /aːliˈɛːn/, /ˈaːliɛn/, /ˈaːliən/
* (with assimilation) IPA: /ˈaːliant/, /ˈaːliau̯nt/

#### Noun

alien (plural aliens)
* An outsider or foreign person, especially if resident in one's nation.
** c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎, published c. 1410, Joon 10:5, page 49v, column 1; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:But þei ſuen not an alien · but fleen from hym .· foꝛ þei han not knowen þe vois of aliensBut they don't follow a stranger; they'll flee from them instead, because they don't recognise strangers' voices.
* One who is alien in some other way (e.g. religion, family)
* (rare) An unlawful occupier or possessor of land.

##### Related terms

* alienacioun
* alienat
* alienen
* alienyng

##### Descendants

* English: alien
* Scots: alien, awlien

##### References

* “āliē̆n, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-25.

#### Adjective

alien (plural and weak singular aliene)
* Outside, alien, foreign; from or relating to another nation.
* Religiously outside; heretical, erring; of false religion or morals.
* Distant, isolated, secure, away (from something)
* (rare) Under the authority of other nation's religious institutions.
* (rare) Not relating to or of oneself; not natural (to one's body).
* (rare) Bizarre, weird, exotic.

##### Descendants

* English: alien
* Scots: alien, awlien

##### References

* “āliēn, ālien, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-25.

### Etymology 2

From Old French alier.

#### Verb

alien
* Alternative form of allien

## Old French
### Etymology

From Latin aliēnus.

### Adjective

alien m (oblique and nominative feminine singular aliene)
* alien; foreign; non-native
** 11th century, La Vie de Saint Alexis, BNF manuscript 19525
    alienes terresforeign lands

#### Declension
### Noun

alien oblique singular, m (oblique plural aliens, nominative singular aliens, nominative plural alien)
* alien (a non-native)

#### Descendants

* → Middle English: alien, alyon, alean, alyen, aliand, aliaund, aliant, alyant
** English: alien
** Scots: alien, awlien

## Portuguese
### Alternative forms

* álien

### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English alien (“extraterrestrial life form”). Doublet of alheio.

### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /ˈa.li.ẽj̃/ [ˈa.lɪ.ẽɪ̯̃], (faster pronunciation) /ˈa.ljẽj̃/ [ˈa.ljẽɪ̯̃]
* (Portugal) IPA: /ˈa.ljɛn/

### Noun

alien m (plural aliens)
* alien; extraterrestrial life form
    Synonyms: alienígena, ET, extraterrestre

## Spanish
### Alternative forms

* alién

### Etymology

English alien (“extraterrestrial life form”). Or clipping of alienígena

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈaljen/ [ˈa.ljẽn]
* Rhymes: -aljen
* Syllabification: a‧lien

### Noun

alien m (plural aliens)
* alien; extraterrestrial life form
    Synonyms: ET, extraterrestre

### Further reading

* “alien”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10