foreignness

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree English foreign Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English foreignness From foreign + -ness.

1. The quality of being, appearing, or being perceived as foreign; exoticness, otherness.

   “The same courteous, automatic greeting […] which by now I understood as a nod to my foreignness, which was obvious to everyone everywhere.”

   “The word “saudade” is being quite misused for what looks like to be a need for adding romantic foreignness to a story or an article.”

2. A characteristic that indicates foreignness.