immigrant
noun
im·mi·grant
ˈi-mə-grənt 
: 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
The Gilded Age, remember, is also the era of Jacob Riis’ landmark photo essay, How the Other Half Lives (1890), which documented children sleeping in deserted buildings, immigrants crammed into filthy dormitories, and alleyways piled with trash.
—
Deborah Williams
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Superman, however, has long been described by fans and critics as an immigrant.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The President has a close connection to the country, as his mother Mary was a Scottish immigrant.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 14 July 2025
Selma’s parents were immigrants from Germany, and so was her husband, Anton de Winter, as he was listed on the manifest of the Edam, the ship that brought him to Ellis Island, in 1896.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for immigrant
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Deborah Williams
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Superman, however, has long been described by fans and critics as an immigrant.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The President has a close connection to the country, as his mother Mary was a Scottish immigrant.
—Callum Sutherland, Time, 14 July 2025
Selma’s parents were immigrants from Germany, and so was her husband, Anton de Winter, as he was listed on the manifest of the Edam, the ship that brought him to Ellis Island, in 1896.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for immigrant
Cite this Entry
“Immigrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immigrant. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
immigrant
noun
im·mi·grant
ˈim-i-grənt
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
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