People you don't know; individuals from a different place or group who are unfamiliar to you.
From Old French 'estrangier,' meaning 'foreign' or 'external,' derived from Latin 'extraneus' (outside). The word originally meant 'foreigner' before expanding to mean anyone unfamiliar, emphasizing the outsider status.
Our brains are naturally wary of strangers due to evolutionary survival instincts—back when unknown people might pose real threats. This wariness is so built-in that studies show even babies show hesitation around strangers, demonstrating how deeply this concept is embedded in human development.
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