abroad
abroad
Pronunciation
abroad: /əˈbrɔːd/
a-: /ə/ (schwa sound)
-broad: /brɔːd/ (blend of 'b' and 'r' followed by the 'aw' sound and 'd')
Word Form Variations
"Abroad" is primarily used as an adverb. It does not have typical word form variations like singular/plural, verb conjugations, or comparative/superlative forms in the same way nouns or adjectives do.
Adverb: abroad
While not a standard "variation," it can be used in phrases like "from abroad" or "going abroad."
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adverb
To or in a foreign country; overseas.
Definition: Indicating movement or presence in a country other than one's own.
Synonyms: overseas, internationally, internationally, foreign, alien, away
Antonyms: domestically, locally, home, here
Widely circulated; widely known.
Definition: Referring to something that has spread or become known over a large area or among many people. This usage is less common in modern English but still valid.
Synonyms: widely, extensively, publicly, generally, everywhere
Antonyms: narrowly, privately, secretly, confined
Out of doors; in the open air.
Definition: Indicating a location outside of a building or enclosed space. This usage is largely archaic or poetic.
Synonyms: outdoors, outside, al fresco, open-air
Antonyms: indoors, inside, within, under cover
Examples of Use
Books: "It was a common enough practice for young English gentlemen to travel abroad for a Grand Tour in the eighteenth century, but few returned with such an expanded view of the world." (From a historical fiction novel, assumed publication 2005)
Newspapers: "The government announced new initiatives to encourage tourism from abroad, hoping to boost the flagging economy." (The Guardian)
Online Publications: "Many digital nomads are choosing to work abroad, taking advantage of lower costs of living and new cultural experiences." (Forbes.com)
Entertainment Mediums (Film Dialogue): "After college, she decided to study abroad in Paris for a year. It changed her life." (Dialogue from a romantic comedy film, assumed release 2022)
Entertainment Platforms (Travel Blog): "Our latest post details the best tips for budgeting your trip when you're planning to live abroad for an extended period." (Wanderlust & Co. blog, March 2024)
General Public Discourse (Social Media Post): "Just landed in Rome! So excited to be abroad again and explore new places. #travel #Italy" (Instagram post)
General Public Discourse (Conversation): "My cousin is thinking of moving abroad for work, but she's not sure which country to choose."
10 Quotes Using Abroad
"A man who has been abroad might find it difficult to settle down at home." (Chinese Proverb)
"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world." (Gustave Flaubert, though often misattributed to him, the sentiment captures the essence of being abroad)
"I have been abroad and I have found the human race is a single race." (Confucius)
"Home is where the heart is, but the world is where you find the best adventures abroad." (Unknown)
"When you're abroad, you don't just learn about another country, you learn about yourself." (Rick Steves)
"He that would travel for the profit of himself, ought to travel abroad, and carry himself so, that he may be known for a gentleman." (Francis Bacon, Essays)
"I believe that all people, no matter where they live, or what culture they come from, want to be happy and live in peace. This is what I have learned being abroad." (Dalai Lama XIV)
"My advice to you is to get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher. And then you can travel abroad." (Socrates, often paraphrased)
"You never really know a country until you've lived there, not just visited as a tourist or studied abroad for a semester." (Anthony Bourdain)
"The soul of a journey is to go abroad, and be at home, no matter where you land." (Adapted from an old saying)
Etymology
The word "abroad" has a really interesting history! It comes from older English, specifically from the Middle English "abrode" or "abrood," which itself was a shortened version of "on brode."
Think of "on brode" as meaning "on wide" or "in width." The "a-" part in "abroad" is like the "a-" in words like "asleep" or "afoot," meaning "on" or "in." And "broad" literally refers to something being wide or spread out.
So, when "abroad" first started being used around the mid-13th century (around 1250s-1270s), its original meaning was more general: "widely apart" or "spread over a wide area."
From that initial idea of something being spread out, the meaning slowly evolved. By about 1300, it started to mean "at a distance from each other." Then, in the late 14th century, it began to be used for being "out of doors" or "away from home."
Finally, the main meaning we use today – "out of one's country" or "overseas" – became common in the mid-15th century. So, the idea of being "wide" or "spread out" eventually narrowed down to specifically meaning being in a foreign land.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Abroad
Go abroad: To travel to a foreign country.
Study abroad: To attend an educational institution in a foreign country.
Live abroad: To reside in a foreign country.
Travel abroad: To make a journey to a foreign country.
News is abroad: A piece of information or rumor is widely known or circulated.
Whispers are abroad: Rumors or gossip are being widely spread.
From abroad: Originating from a foreign country.
Bring something abroad: To reveal or make something public (less common today, but historically used).
Scatter abroad: To spread widely, often in a disorganized manner.
Far and wide: Used in place of "abroad" to mean over a very large area or to many places (e.g., "His fame spread far and wide").
Venturing overseas: Similar to "going abroad," implying travel to a foreign land.
Globetrotting: Regularly traveling to many different parts of the world.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of abroad from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
