migrant

The word “migrant” means a person who moves from one place, country, or region to live or work in another. In plain terms, someone (or some animal) that moves from one place to another, often for work, safety, or the seasons.

“Migrant” is pronounced MYG-ruhnt (/ˈmaɪɡɹənt/ in IPA).

Here is “migrant” used in a sentence: “Many migrants come to the city looking for seasonal work.”

Depending on how it is used, “migrant” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “migrant” comes from Latin. From French migrant, from Latin migrare ("to move from one place to another").

“Migrant” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Migrant” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who moves from one place, country, or region to live or work in another.

A migrant is a broader term for a person who moves from one place, country, or region to live or work in another, without specifying direction or permanence. An immigrant more specifically refers to someone who moves into a new country to settle there permanently, making immigrant a narrower category within the general term migrant.

A migrant is generally someone who moves to another place or country to live or work, often by choice, while a refugee is someone forced to flee their home country due to persecution, conflict, or danger. The key distinction is that migration can be voluntary, whereas refugee status implies compulsion and legal protection needs.

Migrant can describe an animal, especially a bird, that moves between regions with the changing seasons, such as a migrant species that travels south for the winter. This usage parallels the human sense of the word but applies to seasonal, instinct-driven movement.