adjective
strange
STRAYNJ/streɪndʒ/
Different from what is usual or familiar.
The tree's strange spiral branches stand out in the ordinary grove.
Etymology
Latin extraneus described what came from outside or belonged elsewhere. English strange connects that idea of being foreign or unfamiliar with being unusual or surprising.
In context
a strange unsettling rule of the deep ocean. A phenomenon that scientists call deep sea gigantism. This is a rule that takes the small and familiar and scales it up to an unnerving size.
More examples
- The unfamiliar town feels strange at first.
- She gives me a strange look when I mention the letter.
- The story grows stranger with each new detail.
Forms
strange · stranger · strangest
strangeness noun — the quality of being unfamiliar or unusual