migration

noun

mi·​gra·​tion mī-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce migration (audio)
: the act, process, or an instance of migrating
watched the migration of the birds overhead
migrational adjective

Examples of migration in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Other top winners were two films shaming Europe for its migration policies. Nicole Winfield, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2023 By 2019, long before the issue had become an accepted topic of academic study, the migration to lower numbers occurred, with ESPN determining that 79.4% of receivers in its player database wore numbers 10 to 19. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2023 As Sri Lanka acclimates to its new normal, migration may naturally slow down. Zinara Rathnayake, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2023 Monarch butterflies that survive a 2,000-mile-long migration tend to be spottier on their wings, suggesting that feature may aid the insects’ ability to fly. Emily Anthes, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2023 Collisions are most frequent during spring and especially fall migration but happen year-round. Amy Chillag, CNN, 3 Sep. 2023 As migrations go, the oriole journey is not a long one. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Sep. 2023 Migrant flows, such as those that Europe experienced in 2015, can quickly export instability from one part of the world to another—Russia and Belarus have long exploited migration in pursuit of geopolitical objectives. Michael Kimmage and Hanna Notte, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2023 The move, once parliament has approved the new regulation, is a further step in efforts to curb migration to Germany as the country struggles to house and integrate more than 1 million refugees who fled the war from Ukraine last year. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'migration.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French or Latin; French, from Latin migration-, migratio, from migratus (past participle of migrare to migrate) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at migrate

First Known Use

circa 1527, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of migration was circa 1527

Dictionary Entries Near migration

Cite this Entry

“Migration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/migration. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

migration

noun
mi·​gra·​tion
mī-ˈgrā-shən
1
: the act or an instance of migrating
2
: a group of individuals that are migrating

Medical Definition

migration

noun
mi·​gra·​tion mī-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce migration (audio)
: the act, process, or an instance of migrating
migration of larval nematodes to the lungs
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