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

Despite the war, the number of Hajj pilgrims was up this year. —Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 2 June 2026

The Trinetra Ganesh Temple inside the fort draws pilgrims throughout the year. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 June 2026

In Şanlıurfa, southeastern Turkey, sacred sites tied to the biblical figure of Abraham draw Jewish, Christian and Muslim pilgrims, while prehistoric ruins and vibrant food culture anchor a city where faith and history converge. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 30 May 2026

Medical teams stationed across Mina were seen treating several pilgrims. —ABC News, 27 May 2026

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