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

Horses at the track were cared for by grooms, many of whom were immigrants. — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026

Lee uses this to his advantage, pretending to be a pidgin-speaking Chinese immigrant to protect himself from white people’s suspicion and mistrust. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

The Justice Department sued all 15 of the federal judges in Maryland over a standing order that temporarily blocks the immediate removal of immigrants challenging their deportations. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Turns out, the government appears to be targeting immigrants who are now citizens with these voter fraud accusations. — Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 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