interloper

Meaning

Noun

• One who interferes, intrudes or gets involved where not welcome, particularly a self-interested intruder.
• An unlicensed or illegitimate trader.

Origin

• 1590s, from inter- + loper, as in landloper (from lope (originally dialectal)). Originally spelt enterloper and used in specific sense “unauthorized trader trespassing on privileges of chartered companies”, later general sense of “self-interested intruder” from 1630s.