Strange
/streɪndʒ/noun
Unusual, unfamiliar, or surprising.
Did you know?In Old French, the word behind “strange” could mean both “foreign” and “unfamiliar,” showing how ancient cultures often treated the unknown as something almost enchanted or dangerous.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ster-
“To spread out, scatter; possibly the basis for ideas of wandering or being away from the familiar.”
Latin
Latin
extraneus
“Foreign, external, from outside.”
Old French
Old French
estrange
“Foreign, distant, unusual.”
Middle English
English
strange
“Foreign, unfamiliar, or not belonging.”
Modern English
English
strange
“Unusual, odd, or surprising.”
Explore more surprising origins