immigrant

noun

im·​mi·​grant ˈi-mə-grənt How to pronounce immigrant (audio)
: 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”).

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
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.
Business owners, industry members and economists alike warn that large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants, along with stricter border measures and the revoking of Biden-era protections, could have a seismic impact on the labor market and US economy. Alicia Wallace, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024 That being said, Trump's economic policies, including adding tariffs to imports and deporting millions of undocumented immigrants, could cause an inflation bump of as much of 1 percentage point, economists have said. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024 Two months ago, Springfield, Ohio, was in the national political spotlight after now President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance spread baseless rumors that Haitian immigrants in the community were eating pets and wildlife. Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 20 Nov. 2024 It’s thought to be the first online platform dedicated specifically to helping legal immigrants navigate America’s complicated immigration landscape. David Nath, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for immigrant 

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of immigrant was in 1788

Dictionary Entries Near immigrant

Cite this Entry

“Immigrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immigrant. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

immigrant

noun
im·​mi·​grant ˈim-i-grənt How to pronounce immigrant (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on immigrant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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