immigrant

American  

[im-i-gruhnt] / ˈɪm ɪ grənt /

noun

• immigrants
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• nonimmigrant
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• immigrants
  plural

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

Explanation

The United States is a country of immigrants — people who come to one country from another country, in hopes of having a better life. An inscription on the base of the Statue of Liberty welcomes new immigrants: "Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." Don't confuse the words immigrant and emigrant. If you come to a country, you are an immigrant and you emigrate from somewhere else. Ireland has many emigrants to America; America has many immigrants from Ireland. If your parents were immigrants to the United States, but you were born here, you are a citizen automatically.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

immigrant immigrants

Last week, the New York Times reported that an immigrant had died at Delaney Hall from lack of medical care, the third such case in less than a year.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

Sabine Dulcio, a Haitian immigrant, runs an event-planning company in North Miami with a mostly Haitian staff.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

She also pointed out how the Wongs’ personal journey is emblematic of the larger story of immigrant struggle and success that is found in all corners of L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

Yet to keep our lead in the technological revolution, America still needs scientific, entrepreneurial and technological immigrant talent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Dressed in a Balkan costume of vest, ballooning trousers, and high leather boots, the immigrant carries his possessions bundled on a stick.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

The council requires hundreds more immigrants each year just to keep the population stable.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

These devices collect information about immigrants, citizens and protesters.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

We skirted Penny Island, where native Pomo people lived and farmed for generations before immigrants from Europe arrived.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

The child of South Korean immigrants, she has confronted the high cost of college — she was once forced to drop out to find work — and has experienced financial hardship.

From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026

Many Irish immigrants remained mired in poverty, relying on sporadic day labor to keep them afloat.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield