adjective
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of, relating to, or characterized by migration
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nomadic; itinerant
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of migratory
Explanation
Animals that change locations with the seasons are said to be migratory. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are migratory. They spend winter in the warmer climate of Mexico, Central, and South America and then return to the eastern United States in the spring. People who move from place to place in search of work are said to be migratory. The adjective is often used in combination with the noun workers. In the United States, migratory workers travel from state to state to help bring in the harvest, often with whole families traveling together. After a cold winter, you might want to be a bit migratory yourself: you could move south to Florida in the winter and return north to Ottawa each spring.
Vocabulary lists containing migratory
Awkward
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World Without Fish
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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.
Lamu hosts 70% of Kenya’s mangrove forests that provide a massive carbon sink and are vital breeding grounds for marine life and migratory birds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
"This tells us we need to look for a migratory animal that was common enough in the oceans to leave abundant fossil remains."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
Other insects that had seen an increase in their numbers locally included the clouded yellow butterfly, a European migratory species known to have "peak" years during unusually hot summers.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
"The stability of Niger is fundamental to the security of the entire Sahel region, crucial also for countering illicit trafficking and irregular migratory flows," Tajani added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
But the migratory birds were preparing for the long journey south to their warm wintering grounds.
From "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown
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.
