emigrate

verb

em·​i·​grate ˈe-mə-ˌgrāt How to pronounce emigrate (audio)
emigrated; emigrating

intransitive verb

: to leave one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere
emigrated from Canada to the United States

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an emigrant and an immigrant?

Immigrant and emigrant both refer to a person leaving their own country for another. However, immigrant (and its verb form immigrate) typically stresses the country someone is going to, while emigrant (and its verb emigrate) stresses the country someone is coming from. One is an immigrant to a new country, and an emigrant from an old one. See here for more on the difference between emigrant and immigrant.

Is emigrant a noun or a verb?

Emigrant is a noun, meaning "one who leaves one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere." It is synonymous with émigré, a word that is especially used of a person who has left for political reasons. The verb form of the word is emigrate.

Does emigrant imply illegality?

Both emigrant and immigrant refer to a person who has moved from one country to another, usually in permanent or semi-permanent fashion. Neither word by itself has any connotations of illegality.

Examples of emigrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Goldfarb first emigrated from Chile to Venezuela during the political unrest of the 1970s, and later from Venezuela to the United States. Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 23 June 2025 The victim was born in Vietnam before emigrating to the United States, Harris said. City News Service, Oc Register, 16 June 2025 Back in Venezuela, the economic and political situation continued to deteriorate, and most of Carlos’s immediate family emigrated to the United States. Allison McCann, New York Times, 11 June 2025 Having emigrated to the U.S. from Kyrgyzstan with her husband and three children two years prior, Asel had worked hard to adapt to a new country, new language, and new professional expectations. Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for emigrate

Word History

Etymology

Latin emigratus, past participle of emigrare, from e- + migrare to migrate

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emigrate was in 1749

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Cite this Entry

“Emigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emigrate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

emigrate

verb
em·​i·​grate ˈem-ə-ˌgrāt How to pronounce emigrate (audio)
emigrated; emigrating
: to leave a country or region to live elsewhere
emigration noun

More from Merriam-Webster on emigrate

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