immigrate

verb

im·​mi·​grate ˈi-mə-ˌgrāt 

immigrated; immigrating

intransitive verb

: to enter and usually become established

especially : to come into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence

My grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Italy.

transitive verb

: to bring in or send as immigrants

helped immigrate them

Examples of immigrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The metro area has many people immigrating to the area, numerous from foreign countries. — Zuri Primos july 11, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2026

Miners flooded the dusty flats surrounding this area after three Irish prospectors, who had immigrated to Australia in the hopes of making their fortunes, accidentally stumbled across gold while looking for water in 1893. — Justin Meneguzzi, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026

Early life and rise in the military Eisenkot is the second of four children born to Esther and Meir Eisenkot, who had earlier immigrated to Israel from Morocco. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026

Sawangwan and her family immigrated to Sacramento 16 years ago from Thailand. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin immigratus, past participle of immigrare to remove, go in, from in- + migrare to migrate

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for immigrate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

immigrate

verb

im·​mi·​grate ˈim-ə-ˌgrāt 

immigrated; immigrating

: to come into a foreign country to live

immigration

ˌim-ə-ˈgrā-shən 

noun