Emily Dickinson Lexicon

A'LIEN, a. [ālyen; L. alienus, from alius, another; Ir. aile, eile, oile, another; W. all, other, and ail, second; Arm. eel, all, eguile; Corn. gele; Gr. αλλος. Hence, L. alieno, to alienate; alter, another; whence Fr. alterer, to alter; L. alterno, to alter, to alternate, and alterco, altercor, to altercate. Eth. ከልኣ kalea, to alter, to change; whence alius, another, the second; the first letter being lost, except in the Cornish and Armoric, as it is in all. See Class Gl. No. 36, and Ludolf, 387.]

1. Foreign; not belonging to the same country, land or government.
2. Belonging to one who is not a citizen.
3. Estranged; foreign; not allied; adverse to; as, principles alien from our religion.