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

• migrant
• emigrant
• settler
• refugee

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

Artau, 59, the son of Cuban immigrants, was confirmed Monday in a 50-43 Senate vote along party lines. —Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025

Over the weekend, massive crowds gathered in downtown Chicago to protest a federal takeover and voice support for immigrants, according to WLS. —Deena Zaru, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025

The district began evolving into an Asian cultural and business center after the Vietnam War, when Orlando saw a significant arrival of Vietnamese immigrants and refugees in the 1970s. —Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025

From Backlog to Breakthrough What needs to be done for the EB-5 investor immigrant program? —Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 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