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

Sept 11, 2001, was also primary election day, and a mayoral candidate of Arab descent, Abed Hammoud, an immigrant from Lebanon, was on the ballot. — Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 12 Sep. 2026

The split also means immigrants in some parts of the country are getting bail hearings while those in other places, including Texas and Louisiana, face additional hurdles to seek release. — Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026

In both cases, the animating force is not social conservatism alone but hostility toward immigrants, and toward Muslims in particular. — Faisal Devji, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

In other words, institutions created for external war, border enforcement, and domestic policing have now become components of a punitive system against immigrants who may not even have a criminal record. — Daniel Benjamin, Foreign Affairs, 11 Sep. 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