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migration

[ mahy-grey-shuhn ]
/ maɪˈgreɪ ʃən /
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See synonyms for: migration / migrational on Thesaurus.com
noun
the process or act of migrating.
a migratory movement: preparations for the migration.
a number or body of persons or animals migrating together.
Chemistry. a movement or change of position of atoms within a molecule.
Physics. diffusion (def. 3a).
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Origin of migration

First recorded in 1605–15, migration is from the Latin word migrātīon- (stem of migrātiō). See migrate, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM migration

mi·gra·tion·al, adjectivenon·mi·gra·tion, nounpre·mi·gra·tion, adjectivere·mi·gra·tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to migration

exodus, flight, journey, movement, shift, transfer, diaspora, hegira, move, passage, trek

British Dictionary definitions for migration

migration
/ (maɪˈɡreɪʃən) /
noun
the act or an instance of migrating
a group of people, birds, etc, migrating in a body
chem a movement of atoms, ions, or molecules, such as the motion of ions in solution under the influence of electric fields

Derived forms of migration

migrational, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for migration

migration
[ mī-grā′shən ]
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.
The movement of one atom or more, or of a double bond, from one position to another within a molecule.
The movement of ions between electrodes during electrolysis.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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