cudzí

Cudzí is an adjective used in Slovak and Czech to describe something foreign, unfamiliar, or not belonging to a local group. In Slovak the form is cudzí; in Czech the equivalent is cizí. The term can modify people, languages, cultures, or objects that originate from outside a particular country, community, or system.

The word appears in many common phrases, such as cudzí jazyk (foreign language), cudzia kultúra (foreign culture), and cudzí pôvod (foreign origin). When applied to people, cudzí can refer to someone who is not a member of the local community; the connotation ranges from neutral description to pejorative, depending on tone and context.

Etymology and cognates: cudzí derives from a common Slavic root meaning outside or alien. It has cognates in other Slavic languages, such as Czech cizí and Russian chuzhiy, reflecting a shared historical origin.

In usage, cudzí is typically neutral in linguistic or descriptive contexts, while in social or political discourse it can carry subjective or evaluative nuances related to foreigners, outsiders, or non-native ideas and artifacts. The term remains a standard, everyday descriptor for what originates beyond a given locale.