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Webster 1913 Edition

Interloper

In′ter-loˊper

(?; 277)
,
Noun.
[Pref.
inter-
+ D.
looper
a runner, fr.
loopen
to run; akin to E.
leap
. See
Leap
, and cf.
Elope
.]
One who interlopes; one who unlawfully intrudes upon a property, a station, or an office; one who interferes wrongfully or officiously.
The untrained man, . . . the
interloper
as to the professions.
I. Taylor.

Webster 1828 Edition

Interloper

INTERLO'PER

,
Noun.
One who runs into business to which he has no right; one who interferes wrongfully; one who enters a country or place to trade without license.

Definition 2024

interloper

interloper

English

Noun

interloper ‎(plural interlopers)

  1. (obsolete) An unlicensed or illegitimate trader.
  2. One who interferes, intrudes or gets involved where not welcome, particularly a self-interested intruder.
    They disliked the interloper, and forced him to leave.

Related terms

Translations

See also

References

  1. ↑ “interloper” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).

Etymology

1590s, from inter- +‎ loper ‎(“runner, rover”), as in landloper ‎(“vagrant”) (from Dutch) or 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.[1]

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɪntəˈləʊpə/

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