# familiar stranger

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A stranger who is nonetheless recognized by another from regularly sharing a common physical space such as a street or bus stop, but with whom one does not interact.

## Etymology
Coined by American social psychologist Stanley Milgram in 1972.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/familiar-stranger