immigrant

American  

[im-i-gruhnt] / ˈɪm ɪ grənt /

noun

1. a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence.

2. an organism found in a new habitat.

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adjective

1. of or relating to immigrants and immigration.

   a department for immigrant affairs.

2. immigrating.

immigrant British  

/ ˈɪmɪɡrənt /

noun

1. 1. a person who comes to a country in order to settle there Compare emigrant

   2. ( as modifier )

      an immigrant community

2. an animal or plant that lives or grows in a region to which it has recently migrated

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Other Word Forms

• nonimmigrant noun

Etymology

Origin of immigrant

An Americanism first recorded in 1780–90; from Latin immigrant-, stem of immigrāns “moving into,” present participle of immigrāre “to move into”; equivalent to im- ¹ + migrant

Example Sentences

African Americans and immigrants also helped create the cowboy tradition.

From Los Angeles Times

As an immigrant directly from Korea, Chang showed him the fortitude of structure amid her community.

From Los Angeles Times

“Growing up as a child of immigrants, I was kind of self-conscious about displaying too much of my culture,” she says between bites of spiral fried potato.

From Los Angeles Times

It provided for the naturalization of immigrants who wished to become citizens and passport control services at ports of entry.

From The Wall Street Journal

Trickler-McNulty, the former senior ICE official, said that instance was the first immigrant death linked to a homicide involving ICE staff that she could recall in at least 15 years.

From Salon