migrant

noun

mi·​grant ˈmī-grənt 

plural migrants

: someone or something that migrates: such as

a

: a person who moves regularly in order to find work especially in harvesting crops

farms employing migrants during the growing season

b

: immigrant sense a

especially : refugee

… administration officials announced they would work to swiftly screen migrants seeking asylum at the border … and penalize people who cross illegally into the U.S. or illegally through another country on their way to the U.S. border.

—Colleen Long

c

: an animal (such as a gray whale, monarch butterfly, leatherback sea turtle, or Canada goose) that moves usually long distances from one habitat or geographic region to another

migrant adjective

migrant labor

migrant birds

Synonyms

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

Examples of migrant in a Sentence

migrants in search of work on farms

Not all birds are migrants.

Recent Examples on the Web

Fewer judges mean longer wait times for migrants awaiting decisions on their cases. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025

The link between migrants and violent crime is real. —Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025

His very public opposition to President Donald Trump’s hunt for migrants in Chicago is undoubtedly burnishing his standing among those left of center for being courageous and true to the cause. —Will Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025

Dozens of mostly Asian migrants were put on a deportation flight from San Antonio on Tuesday. —Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin migrant-, migrans, present participle of migrare

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing migrant

• in-migrant
• out-migrant

Kids Definition

migrant

noun

mi·​grant ˈmī-grənt 

: a person, animal, or plant that migrates

migrant adjective