immigrate

verb

im·​mi·​grate ˈi-mə-ˌgrāt 

immigrated; immigrating

intransitive verb

: to enter and usually become established

especially : to come into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence

transitive verb

: to bring in or send as immigrants

Examples of immigrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In her victim-impact statement, Scott honored her late father as an embodiment of the American dream, having immigrated to the United States from Iran and built a life in San Jose that had evolved from being a father of two to a grandfather of four boys. —Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025

Joining them there is their nanny and Mr. Arison’s father, who after immigrating from his native Georgia in February 2021, is now an integral member of the family. —Louise Rafkin, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025

Love said her parents immigrated to the U.S. with $10 in their pocket and a belief that hard work would lead to success. —TIME, 24 Mar. 2025

My parents, like yours, were born and raised in Hungary before immigrating to the United States. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin immigratus, past participle of immigrare to remove, go in, from in- + migrare to migrate

First Known Use

circa 1623, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for immigrate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

immigrate

verb

im·​mi·​grate ˈim-ə-ˌgrāt 

immigrated; immigrating

: to come into a foreign country to live

immigration

ˌim-ə-ˈgrā-shən 

noun