pilgrim

noun

pil·​grim ˈpil-grəm 

1

: one who journeys in foreign lands : wayfarer

2

: one who travels to a shrine or holy place as a devotee

3

Pilgrim : one of the English colonists settling at Plymouth in 1620

Examples of pilgrim in a Sentence

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims traveled to Mecca.

Recent Examples on the Web

The pilgrims continue to insist, identifying themselves by name (Jospeh and Mary) and role, until the innkeepers finally open the doors and let them in. —Paula Soria, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025

Commemorative quarter depicting a pilgrim. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2025

There’s a Nigerian community that came as religious pilgrims. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 6 Dec. 2025

Then there’s the New York of the commuters, and then there’s the New York of the settlers, the pilgrims, the people who come to New York looking for something. —Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French pelerin, pilegrin, from Late Latin pelegrinus, alteration of Latin peregrinus foreigner, from peregrinus, adjective, foreign, from peregri abroad, from per through + agr-, ager land — more at for, acre

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pilgrim

• pilgrim bottle

Kids Definition

pilgrim

noun

pil·​grim ˈpil-grəm 

1

: one who journeys in foreign lands : traveler

2

: a person who travels to a shrine or holy place to worship

3

capitalized : one of the English colonists who founded the first permanent settlement in New England at Plymouth in 1620