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

• emigrant
• émigré
• emigré
• in-migrant
• incomer [chiefly British]
• migrant
• out-migrant
• settler

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

That changed when waves of Irish immigrants arrived in the U.S. in the 19th century, settling in cities like New York and Boston. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

The White House is trying to have it every way possible in a high-stakes dispute over its speedy deportation of hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 17 Mar. 2025

But eight weeks in, the mass deportation effort has rapidly expanded to include immigrants whose application for legal status in the country is under review. —Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2025

In the late 19th century the city was the destination for immigrants from Ireland, France, Canada and Switzerland, each bringing recipes and customs and blending them with others. —Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing immigrant

• anti-immigrant
• illegal alien/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