migration

American  

[mahy-grey-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

Christopher Landau, U.S. deputy secretary of state, said last week that cooperation on security, migration and trade were crucial for the prosperity of both countries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

He insisted it was "entirely humanitarian", but added that the West African nation would be getting US support to manage the programme and broadly strengthen the migration system.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

But that prospect could prove difficult in the countries where migration is already a highly sensitive topic.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

Pointing out the perfect V formation, Ferguson would tell his players that each bird would take its turn to lead from the front as they embarked on a 4,000-mile migration in the winter.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

I followed Hugh into the mass migration of students heading out of the building at eleven fifteen.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

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

Fish species that undertake mammoth migrations through rivers, lakes and ponds are facing a combined threat from dams, pollution and overfishing preventing them from reaching their breeding grounds.

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026

The ancestors of modern speakers of Thai, Lao, and Burmese all moved south from South China and adjacent areas to their present locations within historical times, successively inundating the settled descendants of previous migrations.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

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