immigrant
Americannoun
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a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence.
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an organism found in a new habitat.
adjective
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of or relating to immigrants and immigration.
a department for immigrant affairs.
noun
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a person who comes to a country in order to settle there Compare emigrant
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( as modifier )
an immigrant community
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an animal or plant that lives or grows in a region to which it has recently migrated
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing immigrant
Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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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.
“We know that immigrant communities uphold the economy in this nation, and I think that people who contribute to their community, that call this home, should have a say in their local government,” Arévalo said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Soto-Martínez represents District 13, which includes many immigrant and mixed-status communities living in Echo Park, Hollywood and Filipinotown.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
A city council member, she is an Indian immigrant and urban planner.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Copley came from Irish immigrant stock, but made himself a gentleman.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
“When the sisters ran an orphanage here, some children would sing themselves to sleep, often in their native language, as many were immigrant children.”
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
