What does migrated mean?
Migrated means that people, animals, objects, or information have moved from one place or system to another. The term is especially common when describing a population relocating across a region or border and when describing the transfer of data to another computing platform, such as moving a database to the cloud. In general contexts, it often implies a substantial or relatively permanent change of residence, though it can also refer to seasonal movement. Migrated can carry a historical or political resonance when people leave their homes because of conflict, persecution, economic hardship, or environmental change. In technical writing, it usually denotes a planned transition between systems rather than casual copying or relocation. Related forms include migrate, migration, and migrant, all of which are derived from the same Latin root for moving or changing residence.
verbMoved from one place, region, or system to another. In computing, it refers to transferring data, software, or services from one platform or environment to another.
- Moved from one place, country, or region to another.
- Transferred data, software, or services from one platform or environment to another.
- Changed from one system, format, or environment to another.
"After years of working overseas, the family migrated back to the countryside."
"Many rural residents migrated to the city in search of work."
"The company migrated its customer database to a more secure system."
From birds crossing continents to data crossing cloud platforms, migrated means leaving one home for another.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does migrated come from?
The word comes from Latin migrāre, meaning “to move from one place to another.” The English past tense and past participle migrated correspond to the Latin past participle migrātus, meaning “having moved.” Its relatives include migrant, migration, immigrant, and emigrant, all associated with movement between places or countries.
Related word forms
How migrated is actually used
The word is formal and neutral in general use but is especially common in technology, where it describes transferring data, applications, or infrastructure. As the past tense and past participle of migrate, it is normally used with an auxiliary or in a completed-action context.
Easily confused with migrated
Migrated is the general term for moving from one place to another, while emigrated specifically describes leaving one's country of origin.
Migrated is the general term for moving from one place to another, while immigrated specifically describes arriving in a new country to live there.