pilgrim

American  

[pil-grim, -gruhm] / ˈpɪl grɪm, -grəm /

noun

1. a person who journeys, especially a long distance, to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion.

   pilgrims to the Holy Land.

2. a traveler or wanderer, especially in a foreign place.

3. an original settler in a region.

4. (initial capital letter) one of the band of Puritans who founded the colony of Plymouth, Mass., in 1620.

5. a newcomer to a region or place, especially to the western U.S.

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pilgrim ¹ British  

/ ˈpɪlɡrɪm /

noun

1. a person who undertakes a journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion

2. any wayfarer

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Pilgrim ² British  

/ ˈpɪlɡrɪm /

noun

1. See Canterbury Pilgrims

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Other Word Forms

• pilgrimatic adjective
• pilgrimatical adjective

Etymology

Origin of pilgrim

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English pelegrim, pilegrim, cognate with Old Frisian pilegrīm, Middle Low German pelegrīm, Old High German piligrīm, Old Norse pīlagrīmr, all from Medieval Latin pelegrīnus, dissimilated variant of Latin peregrīnus peregrine

Example Sentences

While walking the Becket Way, her group will join prayer services at churches, cathedrals and abbeys, as well as meeting with other pilgrims and visiting schools.

From BBC

Thousands of Hindu pilgrims visit every year from India, through an open border and Delhi has had an outsized influence on Nepal's political landscape for decades.

From BBC

In a statement, the commission said the measure was necessary to prioritise the "safety and comfort" of Nigerian pilgrims.

From BBC

She is moved by the sight of the mementoes left by other pilgrims at the foot of the cross and adds Tom and Lizzie’s things to the pile.

From The Wall Street Journal

A steady stream of pilgrims passes through the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi to see the saint’s remains, placed on public display to mark the 800th anniversary of his death.

From Barron's

Related Words

• settler
• traveler