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

In her comments, Sheinbaum expressed appreciation to Los Angeles for having provided a home for generations of Mexican immigrants and their families. —Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025

The incident occurred at one of several protests around the city Sunday, as thousands in the city took to the streets protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids aimed at undocumented immigrants in the region. —Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025

But human rights organizations have criticized the removal of non-criminal immigrants without due process, warning that such deportations can expose people to persecution. —Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 8 June 2025

This statistic was shared after Friday’s arrest of 45 immigrants in the area, but before the protests began. —Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 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