immigration
Americannoun
-
the movement of non-native people into a country in order to settle there
-
the part of a port, airport, etc where government employees examine the passports, visas, etc of foreign nationals entering the country
Other Word Forms
- anti-immigration adjective
- immigrational adjective
- immigratory adjective
- nonimmigration noun
- preimmigration noun
- proimmigration adjective
Etymology
Origin of immigration
Explanation
Immigration is the process of moving to a new country to stay. New York's Ellis Island was considered a gateway for European immigration to the United States during the early 1900's. Nowadays, people immigrate through airports instead of islands. The word migration is in immigration, which is something we think of birds doing when they fly South for the winter. It's not an accident — if American birds had little passports, they'd have to go through immigration when they got to Mexico. When humans immigrate, they have to follow the rules of the new country or else they risk getting in trouble. Immigration is the act of going to a new country, while emigration refers to the process of leaving one.
Vocabulary lists containing immigration
Human Geography - Middle School
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The United States
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Human Geography - High School
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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.
He has engaged in countless bilateral forums, work groups and discussions about immigration, drug trafficking, cross-border commerce and other concerns, and generally received good marks from U.S. officials.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
“Those who are most affected are our children,” said the woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of her immigration status.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
The immigration crackdown and tepid interest among teens make it tough to fill jobs marked by grueling work, low pay and high turnover.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Local media reported that Ramagem left Brazil via the border with Guyana, bypassing immigration controls, and entered the United States on a diplomatic passport.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
Despite my questionable physical appearance, I charmed the immigration officer, answered a bunch of benign questions, and walked out knowing that I'd finally be getting a green card.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
