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migration

American  

[mahy-gray-shuhn] / maɪˈgreɪ ʃən /

noun

• migrations
  plural

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.

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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

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migration Scientific  

/ mī-grā′shən /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• migrations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of migration

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

Explanation

Migration is the movement of either people or animals from one area to another. Look up in the trees, where you might see a Monarch butterfly make a stop on its migration to Mexico. Migration can be used for the journey from one place to another or for the act of movement. Thousands of mid-western farmers made the migration to California during the dust bowl. Demographers have noted the migration of young people to the big cities presumably for work. With animals, it’s almost always in reference to a seasonal change in location. On boat tours, you can see the whales during their annual migration down the West coast.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

migration migrations

He said that in the wild, ducks gorge before migration and store fat in their livers and argues that "gavage" -- the process of force-feeding -- is a traditional means of animal husbandry.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

At least 100 people died in the largest migration surge to the enclave in recent history.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Where rules are not agreed or enforced, starvation and migration are rampant.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

By the mid-1930s both had joined the migration to Hollywood, where lavish musicals lifted Depression spirits with melody, glamour and dance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

“A gray whale. It’s the beginning of their migration season. I think there are two of them. A mother and a calf, if I had to guess. See the smaller one, in front?”

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Globally, caribou undertake the longest single land migrations of any animal - travelling 839 miles in a round trip, while grey wolves have been recorded travelling more than 4,350 miles over a year.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Critics fear deep-sea mining will cause irreversible damage, smothering marine life in plumes of waste and disrupting oceanic migrations with the thrum of heavy machinery.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

Since the indexes are weighted by market cap, migrations prevent large companies from dramatically skewing the performance of indexes meant for smaller companies.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

Despite the stunning distances involved, researchers emphasized how uncommon these migrations appear to be.

From Science Daily ● May 20, 2026

To the authors’ critics, the lack of confirmation had an obvious cause: the whole three- migrations theory was wrong.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• exodus
• flight
• journey
• movement
• shift
• transfer