pilgrim

noun

pil·​grim ˈpil-grəm 

1

: one who journeys in foreign lands : wayfarer

2

: one who travels to a shrine or holy place as a devotee

3

capitalized : one of the English colonists settling at Plymouth in 1620

Examples of pilgrim in a Sentence

Thousands of Muslim pilgrims traveled to Mecca.

Recent Examples on the Web

Through centuries, pilgrims stopped at the monastery there, and then the island became a vineyard, a vegetable garden and eventually a fortified military site. —Luisa Zargani, WWD, 21 Feb. 2025

The pope's doctors had earlier ordered complete rest, and Francis was unable to deliver his regular weekly prayer on Sunday to pilgrims in St Peter's Square or lead a special Mass for artists to mark the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year. —Joshua McElwee, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025

That included the Jubilee Audience, a public meeting with pilgrims Feb. 15, Holy Mass on Feb. 16, and a meeting with artists Feb. 17. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 14 Feb. 2025

As much political as religious and recreational, these pilgrimages demonstrated to power-hungry monarchs that the eternal city was beyond royal control and, by implication, that pilgrims’ identity was more than subjects of a crown. —Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French pelerin, pilegrin, from Late Latin pelegrinus, alteration of Latin peregrinus foreigner, from peregrinus, adjective, foreign, from peregri abroad, from per through + agr-, ager land — more at for, acre

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pilgrim

• pilgrim bottle

Kids Definition

pilgrim

noun

pil·​grim ˈpil-grəm 

1

: one who journeys in foreign lands : traveler

2

: a person who travels to a shrine or holy place to worship

3

capitalized : one of the English colonists who founded the first permanent settlement in New England at Plymouth in 1620