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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

interloper en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˌɪntɚˈloʊ̯pɚ/ (Canada, General-American)
  • (Texas) audio
  • /ˌɪntəˈlæɔ̯pə/ (Australia)
  • /ˌɪntəˈləʊ̯pə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From inter- + loper (“runner, rover”), as in landloper (“vagrant”) (from lope (“to leap, to jump”) (originally dialectal)). Originally spelt enterloper and used in specific sense, “unauthorized trader trespassing on privileges of chartered companies”, later general sense of “self-interested intruder” from 1630s.

Meanings

  1. One who interferes, intrudes, or gets involved where not welcome; particularly, a self-interested intruder.
    • In a button-up plaid shirt with an unwieldly suitcase, he is an interloper from another world – one whose first social faux pas is to make his way slowly through the various gates and arrive at the imposing front door on foot, rather than wait to be picked up from the train station by a servant. 2023 November 13, Rosalind Jana, “Saltburn and the bizarre life of Britain's stately homes”, in BBC:
    • They disliked the interloper, and forced him to leave.
  2. (obsolete) An unlicensed or illegitimate trader.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
interlopers Number=Plur lexicographic

Relateds

nosy parker · gatecrasher · interlope · peeping tom · lope · encroacher · backseat driver · kibitzer · buttinsky · busybody · persona non grata · meddler · marplot

Translations (21)

fi tunkeilija (one who interferes) · ja 闖入者 (one who interferes) · mi kaiauwaha (one who interferes) · pl natręt (one who interferes) · is boðflenna (one who interferes) · es entrometido (one who interferes) · mk натрапник (one who interferes) · sv inkräktare (one who interferes) · fr intrus (one who interferes) · es entremetido (one who interferes) · mi kaihūrau (one who interferes) · nb inntrenger (one who interferes) · sh uljez (one who interferes) · is aðskotadýr (one who interferes) · fi tungettelija (one who interferes) · es detentador (one who interferes) · hu betolakodó (one who interferes) · de Eindringling (one who interferes) · nl indringer (one who interferes) · it intruso (one who interferes) · es intruso (one who interferes)