What does migration mean?
Migration names the movement of people, animals, plants, or other organisms from one place to another, and by extension the transfer of data or systems between locations. For people, it often refers to a move from one country or region to another, whether forced by conflict, economic opportunity, education, or family. For animals, migration commonly describes regular seasonal journeys between breeding and feeding grounds. The term also has a technical use for moving information or services from one system to another. Migration is important because it connects places economically and culturally while affecting communities, ecosystems, and the distribution of resources. Its meaning remains broad, so context usually clarifies whether the movement is human, animal, or digital.
nounThe movement of people, animals, or other organisms from one region or place to another. The word can also refer to the process of transferring data, services, or systems from one location or platform to another.
- The movement of people from one country or region to another.
- The seasonal or periodic movement of animals, birds, or other organisms between different regions.
- The transfer of data, applications, or other systems from one location or platform to another.
"The birds' seasonal migration takes them thousands of miles along the coast."
"The migration of rural workers to the cities transformed the local economy."
"The company planned the migration of its customer records to a new cloud platform."
Usually used for separate movements or instances of movement, especially of groups of people; the singular is common when referring to migration as a general process.
"The migrations of workers changed the population of several towns."
Migration is nature's great reshuffling: every year, billions of animals travel across the planet, while human migration reshapes cities, cultures, and economies.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does migration come from?
The word entered English through Old French and ultimately comes from Latin migratio, a noun formed from migrare, meaning “to move from one place to another.” The Latin root also underlies related English forms such as migrate, migratory, immigrant, and emigrant. Over time, the term broadened from movement between places to include the process of transferring data or systems.
Related word forms
How migration is actually used
In general usage, migration most often describes the movement of people or animals and may be countable or uncountable. In computing, it commonly refers to transferring data or systems between environments.
Easily confused with migration
Emigration specifically means leaving one's country of residence, whereas migration can refer to movement either into or out of a place.
Immigration specifically means arriving in a country to live there, whereas migration is the broader term for movement between places.