emigrate

Q: What is the difference between an 'emigrant' and an 'immigrant'?

Immigrant and emigrant both refer to a person leaving their own country for another. However, immigrant (and its verb form _immigrate ) typically stress the country going to, while emigrant (and its verb emigrate ) stress the country coming from. One is an immigrant to a new country, and an emigrant from an old one. See here for more on the difference between emigrant and immigrant .

Q: Is 'emigrant' a noun or a verb?

Emigrant is a noun, meaning "one who leaves one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere." It is synonymous with émigré , a word that is especially used of a person who has left for political reasons. The verb form of the word is emigrate .

Q: Does 'emigrant' imply illegality?

Both emigrant and immigrant refer to a person who has moved from one country to another, usually in permanent or semi-permanent fashion. Neither word by itself has any connotations of illegality.

verb

em·i·grate ˈe-mə-ˌgrāt

emigrated; emigrating

Synonyms of emigrate next

intransitive verb

: to leave one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere

emigrated from Canada to the United States

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an emigrant and an immigrant?

Immigrant and emigrant both refer to a person leaving their own country for another. However, immigrant (and its verb form _immigrate) typically stress the country going to, while emigrant (and its verb emigrate) stress the country coming from. One is an immigrant to a new country, and an emigrant from an old one. See here for more on the difference between emigrant and immigrant.

Is emigrant a noun or a verb?

Emigrant is a noun, meaning "one who leaves one's place of residence or country to live elsewhere." It is synonymous with émigré, a word that is especially used of a person who has left for political reasons. The verb form of the word is emigrate.

Does emigrant imply illegality?

Both emigrant and immigrant refer to a person who has moved from one country to another, usually in permanent or semi-permanent fashion. Neither word by itself has any connotations of illegality.

Examples of emigrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web His family is of Indian descent and emigrated to the U.K. from Kenya in the 1960s. —

Patrick Smith, NBC News, 2 July 2024 Born in Maryland to free Black American parents, Benson had emigrated with his family to the West African colony at the age of 6. —

Bronwen Everill, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024 My mom and dad got married in Sicily, and then a few months before my older sister was born, my dad emigrated via ship to New York to establish a new life for them. —

Devorah Lev-Tov, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 June 2024 Beginning almost 200 years ago, Basques emigrated to the American West to pursue economic opportunities, escape compulsory military service or political persecution, and for other personal reasons. —

Cheryl Oestreicher, The Conversation, 20 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for emigrate

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'emigrate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin emigratus, past participle of emigrare, from e- + migrare to migrate

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of emigrate was in 1766

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Emigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emigrate. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

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Kids Definition

emigrate

verb

em·i·grate ˈem-ə-ˌgrāt

emigrated; emigrating

: to leave a country or region to live elsewhere

emigration

ˌem-ə-ˈgrā-shən

noun

Last Updated: 11 Jul 2024 - Updated example sentences

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emigrate

verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Examples of emigrate in a Sentence

Word History

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near emigrate

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition