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Extern vs Foreign - What's the difference?

extern | foreign |

As nouns the difference between extern and foreign

is that extern is a person affiliated with an institution in a lesser capacity, for example, as a non-resident or as a part-time affiliate while foreign is (informal) foreigner.

As adjectives the difference between extern and foreign

is that extern is (obsolete|rare) external; outward; not inherent while foreign is located outside a country or place, especially one's own.

extern

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A person affiliated with an institution in a lesser capacity, for example, as a non-resident or as a part-time affiliate.
  • Outward form or part; exterior.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete, rare) External; outward; not inherent.
  • "Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,/ But seeming so, for my particular end,/For when my outward action doth demonstrate/The native act and figure of my heart/In complement extern, 'tis not long after/But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve/For daws to peck at." (Othello, Act 1, Scene 1)

    References

    * * William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice, Penguin Books, 2001 ----

    foreign

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Located outside a country or place, especially one's own.
  • foreign''' markets''; '''''foreign soil
  • Originating from, characteristic of, belonging to, or being a citizen of a country or place other than the one under discussion.
  • foreign''' car''; '''''foreign''' word''; '''''foreign''' citizen''; '''''foreign trade
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=The cane was undoubtedly of foreign make, for it had a solid silver ferrule at one end, which was not English hall–marked.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-24, volume=408, issue=8850, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Guardian warriors and golden eggs , passage=Foreign' companies love to complain about doing business in China.
  • Relating to a different nation.
  • foreign''' policy''; '''''foreign navies
  • Not characteristic of or naturally taken in by an organism or system.
  • foreign''' body''; '''''foreign''' substance''; '''''foreign''' gene''; '''''foreign species
  • Alien; strange.
  • It was completely foreign to their way of thinking.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Jonathan Swift)
  • This design is not foreign from some people's thoughts.
  • (label) Held at a distance; excluded; exiled.
  • * (and other bibliographic particulars) (Shakespeare)
  • Kept him a foreign man still; which so grieved him, / That he ran mad and died.
  • From a different one of the states of the United States, as of a state of residence or incorporation.
  • Belonging to a different organization, company etc.
  • Synonyms

    * (from a different country) overseas, international * (strange) alien, fremd * (in a place where it does not belong) extraneous

    Antonyms

    * (from a different country) domestic * (not characteristic) native * (native to an area) indigenous

    Derived terms

    {{der3, foreign body , foreign correspondent , foreign country , , foreign debt , foreign exchange , foreignize , foreignization , foreign key , foreignness , foreigner , foreign tongue , foreign policy , Foreign Office}}

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) foreigner
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=August 30 , author= , title=White House Extremely Worried About People Saying Dumb Stuff on 9/11 , work=Gawker citation , page= , passage=The messaging instructions come in two sets: one for domestics, another for the foreigns . }}