immigrant

noun

im·mi·grant ˈi-mə-grənt

Synonyms of immigrant next

: one that immigrates: such as

: a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence

: 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.

On Thursday, Newsom directed state lawmakers to hold a special session next month to prepare for how to respond to Trump’s agenda, including combating what California Democrats fear will be attacks on reproductive rights, climate measures, health care programs and undocumented immigrants. —

Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 Trump and Vance amplified a false story that legal Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets. —

Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024 Nazarian’s film was inspired by his upbringing as an immigrant in LA’s working class neighborhoods. —

Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024 Trump has changed the conversation, promising to deport every immigrant in the country illegally − more than 11 million people. —

David Jackson, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for immigrant