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

But any early prosperity the immigrants enjoyed became difficult for some to maintain in their West Side home. —Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2024

But since moving to Pensacola 30 years ago, the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants has become a spokesperson for the small-but-growing immigrant community here. —Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 12 July 2024

Growing up in Sweden as the son of Polish immigrants who struggled to find work, Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski had a fraught relationship with money. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 12 July 2024

If tapped to run with Trump, Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a Miami native, would be the first Hispanic vice presidential candidate on a major party’s ticket. —Claire Grunewald, Miami Herald, 10 July 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