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outlandish

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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The adjective is derived from Middle English outlandisch , outlondish ("foreign"),[1] from Old English ūtlendisċ ("foreign; strange, outlandish"), from Proto-West Germanic *ūtlandisk , from Proto-Germanic *ūtlandiskaz , from *ūtlandą ("(adjective) alien, foreign; relating to outlying land; (noun) foreign land; outlying land") + *-iskaz (suffix forming adjectives from nouns with the sense ‘characteristic of; pertaining to’). *Ūtlandą is derived from *ūt- (suffix meaning ‘beyond; external to, on the outside of’) (from Proto-Indo-European *úd ("away; out, outward; upwards")) + *landą ("area of ground, land") (from Proto-Indo-European *lendh- ("heath; land")). By surface analysis, outland +‎ -ish .[2] The noun is derived from the adjective.[2]

Cognates

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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outlandish (comparative more outlandish, superlative most outlandish)

  1. (archaic ) Of or from a foreign country; not indigenous or native; alien, foreign.
    Synonyms: non-native ; see also Thesaurus:foreign
    Antonyms: inlandish , unoutlandish ; see also Thesaurus:native
    • 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, [...] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, III. Essdras [1 Esdras] viij:[87], folio vij, verso, column 2:
      [W]e haue bꝛokẽ thy statutes ⁊ cõmaundementes agayne, ⁊ mengled oꝛ selues wt the vnclẽnes of the outlandish heithen.
      [W]e have broken thy statutes and commandments again, and mingled ourselves with the uncleanness of the foreign heathen.
    • 1606, Tho[mas] Dekker, "Apishnesse: Or The First Dayes Triumph", in The Seuen Deadly Sinnes of London: [...], London: [...] E[dward] A[llde] for Nathaniel Butter, [...], →OCLC, page 32:
      Apishnesse rides in a Chariot made of nothing but cages, in which are all the strangest out-landish Birds that can be gotten: [...]
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, [...] (King James Version), London: [...] Robert Barker, [...], →OCLC, Nehemiah 13:26, column 2:
      Did not Solomon king of Israel sinne by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloued of his God, and God made him king ouer all Israel: neuerthelesse, euen him did outlandish women cause to sinne.
    • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: [...] , London: [...] Nath[aniel] Ponder [...], →OCLC, page 123:
      The people therefore of the fair made a great gazing upon them: Some said they vvere Fools, some they vvere Bedlams, and some they are Outlandish-men.
    • 1711 May 4 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], "MONDAY, April 23, 1711", in The Spectator , number 46; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, [...], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 302:
      [H]e did not like the name of the outlandish man with the golden clock in his stockings.
      The spelling has been modernized.
    • 1752, Samuel Foote, Taste. A Comedy, [...], London: [...] R[ichard] Francklin, [...], →OCLC, Act I, page 9:
      [I]f breeding amongst Christians vvas as much encouraged as amongst Dogs and Horses, vve need not be making Lavvs to let in a Parcel of outlandish Locusts to eat us all up.
    • 1859, Charles Dickens, "A Hand at Cards", in A Tale of Two Cities , London: Chapman and Hall, [...], →OCLC, book III (The Track of a Storm), page 197:
      Slightly observant of the smoky lights; of the people, pipe in mouth, playing with limp cards and yellow dominoes; of the one bare-breasted, bare-armed, soot-begrimed workman reading a journal aloud, and of the others listening to him; of the weapons worn, or laid aside to be resumed; of the two or three customers fallen forward asleep, who in the popular, high-shouldered shaggy black spencer looked, in that attitude, like slumbering bears or dogs; the two outlandish customers approached the counter, and showed what they wanted.
  2. (by extension)
    1. Appearing to be foreign; strange, unfamiliar.
      • 1749, Henry Fielding, "A Story Told by Mr. Supple, the Curate. The Penetration of Squire Western. His Great Love for His Daughter, and the Return to It Made by Her.", in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling , volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, [...], →OCLC, book IV, pages 67–68:
        I believe, Lady, your Ladyship observed a young VVoman at Church yesterday at Even-song, vvho vvas drest in one of your outlandish Garments; I think I have seen your Ladyship in such a one. Hovvever, in the Country, such Dresses are / Rara avis in Terris, nigroq; simillima Cycno, / That is, Madam, as much to say, / A rare Bird upon the Earth, and very like a black Svvan.
      • 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], "Little Britain", in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. , number VII, New York, N.Y.: [...] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, [...], →OCLC, pages 97–98:
        Roast beef and plum pudding are also held in superstitious veneration, and port and sherry maintain their grounds as the only true English wines; all others being considered vile outlandish beverages.
    2. Greatly different from common experience; bizarre, outrageous, strange. [from late 16th c.]
      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:strange
      Antonyms: unoutlandish ; see also Thesaurus:normal
      The rock star wore black with outlandish pink and green spiked hair.
      • 1628, William Prynne, The Vnlouelinesse, of Louelockes. Or, A Summarie Discourse, Proouing: The Wearing, and Nourishing of a Locke, or Loue-locke, to be Altogether Vnseemely, and Vnlawfull unto Christians. [...], London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 1:
        [T]hose Lasciuious, Immodest, VVhorish, or vngodly Fashions, and Attires, vvhich Metamorphise, and Transforme, our Light, and Giddie Females of the Superior and Gentile ranke, into sundry Antique, Horred, and Out-landish shapes, from day, to day: [...]
      • 1915, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter CXIX, in Of Human Bondage , New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, →OCLC, page 631:
        He was an outlandish figure, with his wide-brimmed hat and pointed beard, among those country folk, and it was easy to see that they thought him very queer; but his spirits were so high, his enthusiasm so contagious, that it was impossible not to like him.
      • 1961 July, "Talking of Trains: The Marylebone Exhibition", in Trains Illustrated , London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 388:
        Except for an eye-catching sky-blue container boldly and attractively featuring the B.T.C.'s "door-to-door" arrow symbol [...], there were no outlandish colour schemes or lettering styles.
      • 1969 (date delivered), R[obert] M[erton] Solow, "Characteristics of Steady States", in Growth Theory: An Exposition [...], London: Clarendon Press, published 1970, →OCLC, page 13:
        I hardly need to add that this story requires outlandish assumptions to make investment behaviour more passive than one would expect it to be in an industrial capitalist economy.
    3. (derogatory ) Of a place: far away from where most people are located; in the middle of nowhere, out of the way, remote.
      Synonyms: in the boondocks ; see also Thesaurus:distant
      Antonyms: see Thesaurus:near
      • 1886 May – 1887 April, Thomas Hardy, chapter VIII, in The Woodlanders [...] , volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 151:
        It will be very convenient to have a medical man—if he is clever—in one's own parish. I get dreadfully nervous sometimes, living in such an outlandish place; and Sherton is so far to send to.
      • 1915, Virginia Woolf, chapter III, in The Voyage Out , London: Duckworth & Co., [...], →OCLC, page 54:
        I will take this occasion of adding that we are both enjoying ourselves in these outlandish parts, and only wish for the presence of our friends (yourself and John, to wit) to make the trip perfectly enjoyable as it promises to be instructive.

Derived terms

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Translations

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of or from a foreign country; not indigenous or native — see also alien,‎ foreign
appearing to be foreign — see strange,‎ unfamiliar
greatly different from common experience — see also bizarre,‎ outrageous,‎ strange
of a place: far away from where most people are located — see remote

Noun

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outlandish

  1. (obsolete ) A foreign language.
    • 1618 June 3 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), Lancelot Andrewes, "[Sermons of the Sending of the Holy Ghost, Preached vpon Whit-Sunday.] A Sermon Preached before the King’s Maiestie at Greenwich on the XXIV. of May, A.D. MDCXVIII. being Whit-Sunday.", in XCVI. Sermons [...], London: [...] George Miller, for Richard Badger, published 1629, →OCLC, pages 710–711:
      [H]ovv soone God from Heaven had sent His fiery tongues upon His Apostles; the Devill from hell presently sent for his fiery tongues, and put them in the mouthes of his Apostles, to disgrace and scoffe at those of God's sending. [...] [T]hese good fellovves have been at it, and novv they can speake nothing but outlandish: some little broken Greek or Latine they had, and novv out it comes.
    • 1752, Samuel Foote, Taste. A Comedy, [...], London: [...] R[ichard] Francklin, [...], →OCLC, Act II, page 29:
      Never stir if that Gentleman ben't the same that vve see'd at the Painting Man's, that vvas so zivil to Mother, only he has got a black VVig on, and speaks outlandish.

References

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Further reading

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