What does immigrant mean?
An immigrant is a person who moves from one country to another, usually to settle there. The word is especially common for someone who has established a new home and place of life outside their country of birth, although it can also be used more broadly for newcomers. As an adjective, “immigrant” describes people, communities, or populations formed by such arrivals. In contemporary English, it is a standard and largely neutral term, appearing in discussions of migration, citizenship, employment, culture, and social policy. “Migrant” may be preferred when the focus is on temporary or work-based movement, while “emigrant” describes the person leaving their country of origin. The term is used in both British and American English and can apply to permanent settlers as well as people whose status is still developing.
A person who moves from one country to another, usually to settle permanently or for an extended period.
"Many immigrants moved to the coastal city in search of work."
The term is standard in British and American English. It is commonly used for a person who has settled in a new country, though it can also describe someone whose move is still in progress.
Relating to or denoting an immigrant or immigrants.
"The organization provides legal advice to the immigrant community."
This use is normally attributive, as in “immigrant workers,” “immigrant families,” or “immigrant communities.”
Use the plural to refer to multiple people who have moved to another country to settle, or to a population formed by such people.
"Local schools welcomed hundreds of new immigrants at the start of the school year."
The word “immigrant” records a journey inward: it comes from Latin for “moving into” and has described people arriving in a new homeland for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does immigrant come from?
The word entered English through French “immigrant,” which derives from the Latin “immigrans,” the present participle of “immigrare.” The Latin verb combined “in-” (“into”) with “migrare” (“to move”), literally expressing movement into a place. Its established English sense developed from the idea of arriving in a country and settling there. Related forms include “immigrate,” “immigration,” “migration,” and “emigrate,” all connected with the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How immigrant is actually used
The term is standard in legal, academic, journalistic, and everyday contexts. It is generally neutral, although discussions of policy may associate it with debates about national borders, citizenship, and social integration. In some contexts, “migrant” is preferred when the emphasis is on movement for employment rather than permanent settlement.
Easily confused with immigrant
An immigrant is generally someone who has settled in a country other than their country of birth, whereas an emigrant is someone who has left their country of birth, usually to settle elsewhere.
Migrant can refer more broadly to a person who moves for work, education, or seasonal employment, while immigrant more specifically suggests a person who has moved to a country to settle and is now living there.