pilgrim

noun

pil·​grim ˈpil-grəm 

1

: one who journeys in foreign lands : wayfarer

2

: one who travels to a shrine or holy place as a devotee

3

Pilgrim : one of the English colonists settling at Plymouth in 1620

Examples of pilgrim in a Sentence

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims traveled to Mecca.

Recent Examples on the Web

Thousands of pilgrims visit the basilica each year, including Muslims. —Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026

Thousands of pilgrims visit the basilica each year, including Muslims. —ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026

This is said to be the spiritual home for many Angolans, drawing over 2 million pilgrims every year. —Paul Tilsley, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2026

This part of the Indian Himalayas is especially important for pilgrims seeking spiritual retreats, most famously at the Kainchi Dham ashram, where Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg spent time. —Elizabeth Cantrell, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French pelerin, pilegrin, from Late Latin pelegrinus, alteration of Latin peregrinus foreigner, from peregrinus, adjective, foreign, from peregri abroad, from per through + agr-, ager land — more at for, acre

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pilgrim

• pilgrim bottle

Kids Definition

pilgrim

noun

pil·​grim ˈpil-grəm 

1

: one who journeys in foreign lands : traveler

2

: a person who travels to a shrine or holy place to worship

3

capitalized : one of the English colonists who founded the first permanent settlement in New England at Plymouth in 1620