Located outside a country or place, especially one's own.
A guide to foreign
• Originating from, characteristic of, belonging to, or being a citizen of a country or place other than the one under discussion.
• Relating to a different nation.
• Not characteristic of or naturally taken in by an organism or system.
• Alien; strange; uncharacteristic.
• Held at a distance; excluded; exiled.
• From a different legal jurisdiction (state, province), even if within the same country.
• Belonging to a different organization, company etc.
• Outside, outdoors, outdoor.
(Noun) A foreign person, particularly: A foreigner: a person from another country. An outsider: a person from another place or group. A non-guildmember.
• A foreigner: a person from another country.
• An outsider: a person from another place or group.
• A non-guildmember.
• A foreign vehicle, particularly: A foreign ship. A foreign whip, a car produced abroad.
• A foreign ship.
• A foreign whip, a car produced abroad.
• An outhouse; an outdoor toilet.
• A foreign area, particularly: An area of a community that lies outside the legal town or parish limits. An area of a monastery outside its legal limits or serving as an outer court.
• An area of a community that lies outside the legal town or parish limits.
• An area of a monastery outside its legal limits or serving as an outer court.
• Short for various phrases, including foreign language, foreign parts, and foreign service.
Why foreign is relevant in U.S. law
foreign appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
When and how foreign applies
In practice, foreign is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Wiktionary , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.