estrangeiro

Estrangeiro is a Portuguese noun and adjective meaning a person who comes from a country other than the one being referred to, i.e., a foreigner or outsider. The feminine form is estrangeira. The term can describe someone without citizenship or long-term residence in a country, or more generally someone unfamiliar with a local language or culture. In everyday use it is largely neutral, though tone can vary with context.

Etymology traces the word to the adjective estranho (strange, unfamiliar) and the suffix -eiro, with roots in Latin extraneus through the history of Portuguese. The sense evolved from “someone external or unfamiliar to a community” to its current designation for non-nationals.

Usage and contexts: In Portugal and Brazil, estrangeiro is common in legal and administrative language to indicate non-citizens or non-residents, such as in immigration matters or population statistics. In social conversation, it can refer to someone from another country or simply a non-native to a local area. The term can pair with nationality (estrangeiro alemão) or with qualifiers like estrangeiro residente (resident foreigner) or simply o estrangeiro. While usually neutral, the word’s connotation depends on tone and context; more specific terms such as imigrante (immigrant) or turista (tourist) may be preferred when precision is required.

Cultural and literary usage: The concept of the estrangeiro—often translated as “the foreigner” or “the outsider”—appears in lusophone literature and media as a device to explore otherness, identity, and social boundaries.