migrant

[mahy-gruhnt]

adjective

1. migrating, especially of people; migratory.

noun

1. a person or animal that migrates.

2. a person who attempts to permanently relocate to a new country, but who may be subject to removal by the government of that country: unaccompanied child migrants.

   undocumented migrants;

   unaccompanied child migrants.

3. Also called migrant worker. a person who moves from place to place to get work, especially a farm laborer who harvests crops seasonally.

migrant

/ ˈmaɪɡrənt /

noun

1. a person or animal that moves from one region, place, or country to another

2. an itinerant agricultural worker who travels from one district to another

3. 1. an immigrant, esp a recent one

   2. ( as modifier )

      a migrant hostel

adjective

1. moving from one region, place, or country to another; migratory

Other Word Forms

• nonmigrant adjective
• unmigrant adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of migrant¹

1665–75; < Latin migrant- (stem of migrāns ), present participle of migrāre. See migrate, -ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of migrant¹

C17: from Latin migrāre to change one's abode

Example Sentences

Some asylum seekers in hotels that have seen protests this summer have told the BBC that frustration should instead be directed at those companies - like Clearsprings - profiting from their contracts for looking after migrants.

From BBC

It appealed for people to "not to allow this tragedy to give rise to racist incidents directed at Syrians, Muslims or migrants".

From BBC

It would represent around a five-fold increase from the 35,000 migrants who were removed from the UK over the last year - the majority of whom went voluntarily.

From BBC

He will say that migrants and refugees are "not the problem" and accuse Labour of failing to offer an alternative to what he says are the "hateful divisive politics" of Nigel Farage.

From BBC

“They even initiated mixed-race individuals and people of other backgrounds — Chinese migrants, white Cubans — because this was about survival. The goal was to preserve something, to create something powerful and shared.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• emigrant 
• evacuee 
• expatriate 
• immigrant 
• traveler