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

Egyptian immigrants Azzam and Samra Ahmed are padding their savings by performing for bots in their one-bedroom apartment in Pasadena. —Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026

Apparently to stand out as a glamorous immigrant, the woman born Hillary Hayward-Thomas often used a quirky Spanish accent in interviews and boasted about her family’s Spanish background. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026

Since October, Rivera said, her law firm has filed hundreds of habeas corpus lawsuits accusing the federal government of illegally detaining immigrants. —Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026

Natives, immigrants, and people freed from slavery forged this country out of ideals women and men had only previously dreamt of. —Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 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