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 of immigrant

• migrant
• emigrant
• settler
• refugee

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

Sandy Dorsainvil, 49 Homeowner in unincorporated Dade Dorsainvil was at the TPS rally in Little Haiti soaking in the concerns for Haitian immigrants and describes herself as a community redevelopment specialist and cultural curator. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026

Consider that Revolution’s pancreatic cancer treatment was spearheaded by Kevan Shokat, an Iranian immigrant’s son, and carried forward by Stephen Kelsey, a British scientist working at an American company. — Craig Garthwaite, Fortune, 24 July 2026

Historically, immigrants were crucial to major scientific endeavors like the Manhattan Project and Apollo Program. — Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Two recent killings of immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have raised questions about whether the shootings were justified. — Sarah Matusek, Christian Science Monitor, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing immigrant

• anti-immigrant

Rhymes for immigrant

• nonimmigrant

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