migratory

adjective

mi·​gra·​to·​ry ˈmī-grə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce migratory (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by migration
2

Examples of migratory in a Sentence

most of the apple crop is picked by migratory workers migratory birds heading south for the winter
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The home sits deep in the wetlands of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, which was established in 1933 as a refuge for migratory birds, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2025 Not unlike the human snowbirds, hundreds of actual birds use Port Aransas and neighboring Mustang Island as a popular resting place in their seasonal migratory patterns through the Central Flyway. Mariah Tyler, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2025 Importantly, what a reminder that people are the biggest drivers of progress, and that some of the most productive people tend to be migratory types intent on working and thriving on the biggest stages. John Tamny, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 Professor Jemma Geoghegan, an evolutionary biologist and virologist at New Zealand's University of Otago, said Monday most lineages of H5N1 are only dispersed long distances by migratory waterfowl. Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for migratory

Word History

First Known Use

1708, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of migratory was in 1708

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Cite this Entry

“Migratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/migratory. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

migratory

adjective
mi·​gra·​to·​ry ˈmī-grə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce migratory (audio)
-ˌtȯr-
: having a way of life that includes making migrations
migratory workers

More from Merriam-Webster on migratory

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