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 of immigrant

• 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

More important, my fellow Donkeys included immigrants from Ireland and England and various South American countries. —Literary Hub, 18 May 2026

Still, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has successfully prosecuted several such crimes; the perpetrators and the victims are often both immigrants. —Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026

Hate directed at Jewish families, Muslim communities, Black residents, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, or anyone else attacks the values that make our communities strong and welcoming. —Nick Lentz, CBS News, 17 May 2026

The operations drew large numbers of immigrants, mainly from Asia and Portugal. —Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing immigrant

• anti-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