el alienígena
alien
Ser o cosa que viene de otro mundo o de un lugar muy distinto al nuestro.
Definition & meaning
Alienígena means extraterrestrial: a being that originates beyond Earth, especially one from another planet. It can be used as a noun (“an alien”) or an adjective (“alien” or “extraterrestrial”).
More generally, it can mean foreign or originating elsewhere, though this use is less common.
Grammar & Word origin
As a noun, alienígena has the same form for masculine and feminine: el alienígena and la alienígena. Its plural is alienígenas. As an adjective, it agrees in number but not in gender: un ser alienígena and una especie alienígena.
The word combines the idea of alien or “foreign” with the element -ígena, meaning “born from” or “originating in.” Its basic sense is therefore “originating elsewhere.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- Extraterrestre is the closest synonym and is often interchangeable with alienígena. It can also refer more broadly to anything beyond Earth, not just a being.
- Marciano is a common, informal synonym in fiction and popular speech, but it specifically suggests a connection to Mars.
- Terrícola means “Earthling,” so it can serve as an opposite when alienígena means a being from beyond Earth.
- Terrestre , meaning “Earth-based” or “terrestrial,” is another contextual opposite, though it is not a direct antonym in every use.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Vimos una película de un alienígena verde aterrizando en la Tierra.noun
We saw a movie about a green alien landing on Earth.
Ellos investigaron una nave alienígena abandonada en el desierto.adjective
They investigated an abandoned alien ship in the desert.
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