A person who enters a place illegally or without permission, especially someone's home or private property.
From Latin 'intrudere' meaning 'to thrust in', composed of 'in-' (into) and 'trudere' (to thrust). The noun form emerged in English in the 15th century.
Modern security systems have transformed how we detect intruders, but the psychological impact remains unchanged—the violation of personal space triggers the same fight-or-flight response our ancestors felt when strangers entered their caves.
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