estranged
UK[ɪˈstreɪndʒd]US[ɪˈstreɪndʒd]
adj
No longer close or affectionate to someone; alienated.
adj
(of a husband or wife) No longer living with their spouse.
Morpheme Breakdown
e
strange
d
e
out of, away from
strange
foreign, alien, external
d
Etymology
The word 'estranged' originates from the Latin 'extraneus', meaning "external, foreign", which itself is derived from 'extra', "outside". This root passed into Old French as 'estrange', carrying the sense of "foreign" or "alien". In English, the prefix 'e-' (from 'ex-') was added to the verb 'strange', intensifying the meaning to "treat as a stranger" or "remove from familiarity". The modern participle 'estranged' thus literally means "made foreign or alien", perfectly capturing its current sense of being driven apart from a former state of closeness or affection.
Analysis
Structure: e + strange + d
e: Latin origin, a variant of the prefix 'ex-', meaning "out of, away from".
strange: From Old French 'estrange', meaning "foreign, alien, external".
d: Old English suffix forming the past participle of weak verbs, here functioning as an adjectival suffix.
Examples
He became estranged from his family after the argument.
The estranged couple decided to file for divorce.
Years of misunderstanding had left them feeling deeply estranged.