Alien Meaning
Alien Definition & Usage
Something that is strange, foreign, or unfamiliar to the person or context in question.
Examples
- "She felt alien in the new city, not knowing anyone or anything."
- "The alien culture was fascinating, with rituals unlike anything he'd seen before."
- "The new technology felt alien to the older generation, who struggled to adapt."
- "The landscape was alien, as if it had come from another world."
- "His views on politics were completely alien to me, making our conversation difficult."
A being from another planet or outer space, typically depicted in science fiction.
Examples
- "The aliens arrived in their spaceship, causing panic among the population."
- "He claims to have seen an alien during his camping trip last summer."
- "Movies often depict aliens as advanced beings with superior technology."
- "In the book, the alien learns about human emotions and culture."
- "Some believe that aliens have visited Earth, but there's no concrete evidence."
A person who is considered foreign or out of place within a specific social or cultural context.
Examples
- "In the small town, he was treated as an alien because he came from a big city."
- "She felt like an alien at the party, not understanding the inside jokes or references."
- "The immigrant was often labeled an alien by locals who had never met anyone from her country."
- "To them, his new ideas seemed alien, difficult to accept or understand."
- "At the time, her progressive views were alien to the conservative group she was in."
Cultural Context
The term 'alien' has been heavily popularized in modern culture through science fiction and media, referring to extraterrestrial beings or entities. It is often used metaphorically to describe experiences or things that feel foreign, strange, or unfamiliar. In legal terms, 'alien' can refer to a foreign national or someone who is not a citizen of the country they reside in. Historically, the word 'alien' comes from the Latin 'alienus', meaning 'belonging to another' or 'foreign'. In the context of immigration law, it has a more specific definition, referring to a non-citizen.
The Alien Among Us
Story
The Alien Among Us
Elena had always felt a bit out of place in her small hometown. The locals, mostly farmers and lifelong residents, were friendly enough, but they viewed her as 'the alien'—a newcomer from the city who just didn't fit in. It wasn't just the way they looked at her during town meetings, it was the subtle things: the way they talked about her, like she was some sort of strange creature from another world, unfamiliar with their traditions. She tried to fit in. She learned their ways, attended their gatherings, but it never seemed to be enough. One day, during the town fair, she overheard a conversation that made her stop in her tracks. 'She's like an alien,' one of the farmers said. 'No matter how hard she tries, she’ll never be one of us.' At that moment, Elena realized that no matter how much she tried to blend in, to be a part of their world, she would always feel like an outsider—an alien in a place where she didn’t belong. Weeks later, Elena found herself standing under the vast night sky, the stars twinkling above. She thought about the alien—those beings from other worlds. They were the perfect metaphor for how she felt in her town. A creature from another planet, trying to make sense of the strange customs and norms of Earth. It was ironic, really. She felt like an alien, but here, in this small town, it was clear that she wasn’t the only one who had ever felt that way. She decided to leave the town that evening. Her decision was not out of bitterness, but out of a desire to find a place where she could finally feel at home. Elena boarded the bus to the next city, where new faces, new cultures, and new opportunities awaited her. And while she would still carry the feeling of being an alien with her, she knew there were places out there where people like her were no longer strange or out of place. She was ready to embrace the unfamiliar—ready to live like an alien, in the best sense of the word.
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