migration
Americannoun
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the act or an instance of migrating
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a group of people, birds, etc, migrating in a body
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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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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.
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The movement of one atom or more, or of a double bond, from one position to another within a molecule.
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The movement of ions between electrodes during electrolysis.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing migration
Words of a Feather: Unflappable Avian Vocabulary
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Human Geography - Middle School
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The Industrial Revolution - Introductory
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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.
See Examples For:
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
Atallah is among a wave of entrepreneurs from the crypto boom who have pivoted to AI, part of a migration of leaders from earlier technology eras into the industry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Five West Texas sheriffs likewise wrote to federal officials saying advanced surveillance technology would be better suited to stopping undocumented migration in the rugged terrain.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 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
It was a symbol of past glory, of early migration to the United States and the dreams that people brought over along with the music.
From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez
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
Then it flashes back to the 1490s expulsions of Jews from the Iberian Peninsula, which triggered migrations to other European countries, North Africa and the New World.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
Together, these studies provide a clearer picture of one of humanity's earliest and most remarkable migrations.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 9, 2026
Most species will cross country borders on their mammoth migrations.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
These were not just hunting paths that followed game trails or routes that peoples could easily follow during seasonal migrations.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
