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

He was born in Stuttgart, an automotive hub in southwest Germany, the son of a Turkish immigrant with a job at Porsche who spent his weekends DJing. —Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026

The spokesperson said a joint review by ICE and DHS into the third shooting, of Venezuelan immigrant Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, found that two officers may have given false ⁠statements. —Christian Martinez, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026

It was founded by Levi Strauss, an immigrant with humble origins, who found success in America. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2026

Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia currently offer undocumented immigrants in-state tuition, according to the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a nonpartisan coalition of college and university leaders. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 25 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