immigrant

noun

im·​mi·​grant ˈi-mə-grənt 

: one that immigrates: such as

a

: a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence

b

: a plant or animal that becomes established in an area where it was previously unknown

immigrant adjective

Did you know?

immigrant or emigrant?

Both of these words come from the Latin migrare (“to move from one place to another”), and both have definitions in English that hew closely to their etymological roots, but there is a definite difference between how you would use each one. Emigrant is used in reference to the country that has been left (“an emigrant from Canada”), while immigrant is used in reference the country that one is destined for (“an immigrant to Spain”).

Synonyms

• emigrant
• émigré
• emigré
• in-migrant
• incomer [chiefly British]
• migrant
• out-migrant
• settler

Examples of immigrant in a Sentence

Millions of immigrants came to America from Europe in the 19th century.

The city has a large immigrant population.

Recent Examples on the Web

Two years after Garcia joined the Legislature, the caucus secured its biggest breakthrough in years — winning approval of a measure that allowed undocumented immigrants to receive driver’s licenses. —Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 13 May 2024

While there is little evidence that undocumented immigrants commit more crimes than U.S.-born citizens, Trump and his supporters use anecdotal stories, such as the killing of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, to paint an ominous picture about America being overrun by violent migrants. —Franco Ordoñez, NPR, 11 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing immigrant

• anti-immigrant
• illegal alien/immigrant

Kids Definition

immigrant

noun

im·​mi·​grant ˈim-i-grənt 

1

: a person who comes to a country to live there

2

: a plant or animal that becomes established in an area where it did not occur previously

immigrant adjective