Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

migration

American  
[mahy-grey-shuhn] / maɪˈgreɪ ʃən /

noun

  1. the process or act of migrating.

  2. a migratory movement.

    preparations for the migration.

  3. a number or body of persons or animals migrating together.

  4. Chemistry. a movement or change of position of atoms within a molecule.

  5. Physics. diffusion.


migration British  
/ maɪˈɡreɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act or an instance of migrating

  2. a group of people, birds, etc, migrating in a body

  3. chem a movement of atoms, ions, or molecules, such as the motion of ions in solution under the influence of electric fields

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

migration Scientific  
/ mī-grāshən /
  1. The seasonal movement of a complete population of animals from one area to another. Migration is usually a response to changes in temperature, food supply, or the amount of daylight, and is often undertaken for the purpose of breeding. Mammals, insects, fish, and birds all migrate. The precise mechanism of navigation during migration is not fully understood, although for birds it is believed that sharp eyesight, sensibility to the Earth's magnetic field, and the positions of the Sun and other stars may play a role.

  2. The movement of one atom or more, or of a double bond, from one position to another within a molecule.

  3. The movement of ions between electrodes during electrolysis.


Other Word Forms

  • migrational adjective
  • nonmigration noun
  • premigration adjective
  • remigration noun

Etymology

Origin of migration

First recorded in 1605–15, migration is from the Latin word migrātīon- (stem of migrātiō ). See migrate, -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“This net out migration from California is a more than two-decade-long trend. And again, we’re a big state, so the net out numbers are big,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

About 85 Ethiopian migrants were travelling along the eastern migration route when the lorry overturned in the town of Semera on Tuesday morning, a senior Afar official Mohammed Ali Biedo said in a statement.

From BBC

This means viral components are not just released randomly but are deliberately loaded into structures tied to cell migration.

From Science Daily

Some people are staying in their houses, trying to update relatives outside country following huge migration from Venezuela in recent times.

From BBC

Barrow said in his address that the latest tragedy was a "painful reminder of the dangerous and life-threatening nature of irregular migration".

From Barron's