# foreigner

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfɒɹ.ɪ.nə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #15,409

## Definitions
1. A person from a foreign country.
2. A private job run by an employee at a trade factory rather than going through the business.

## Etymology
From Middle English forner, foreyner, foroner, forenere, augmentation of earlier forein (“foreigner”), from the adjective. Equivalent to foreign + -er. Use of the -er suffix may be due to analogy with Middle English straunger (“stranger”). Displaced native Old English elþēodiġ.

## Easily confused with
- **foreigners** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/foreigner-vs-foreigners)
- **foreign** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/foreign-vs-foreigner)

## Common misspellings (13)
`fforeigner`, `foerigner`, `foreginer`, `foreigenr`, `foreiggner`, `foreignerr`, `foreignner`, `foreignre`, `foreinger`, `foriegner`, `forreigner`, `froeigner`, `ofreigner`

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