immigrate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to come to a country of which one is not a native, usually for permanent residence.
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to pass or come into a new habitat or place, as an organism.
verb (used with object)
verb
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(intr) to come to a place or country of which one is not a native in order to settle there Compare emigrate
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(intr) (of an animal or plant) to migrate to a new geographical area
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(tr) to introduce or bring in as an immigrant
Related Words
See migrate.
Other Word Forms
- immigrator noun
- immigratory adjective
- unimmigrating adjective
Etymology
Origin of immigrate
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin immigrātus (past participle of immigrāre “to move into”); see im- 1, migrate
Explanation
When a person immigrates, he or she moves to a new country. During the great wave of immigration between 1880 and 1924, over 25 million Europeans immigrated to the United States. Many immigrants make significant contributions to their adopted countries. Consider Albert Einstein, the greatest physicist of the twentieth century, who immigrated to America from Germany, or the Russian-born New Yorker Irving Berlin, who wrote some of the most popular songs in the American songbook, including “White Christmas” and “God Bless America." The word immigrate comes from the Latin imigrare, which means “to move in.”
Vocabulary lists containing immigrate
Dear Martin
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Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But lawyers told Barron’s that most of their wealthy foreign clients who want to immigrate aren’t applying for the Gold Card—they’re pursuing other options.
From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026
The pause takes effect starting Jan. 21, and will halt visa issuance to people looking to immigrate permanently, typically through marriage, family ties or work sponsorship.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026
Then, you’ll need to discuss what this will actually cost and what kind of visa you’ll need to immigrate.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 22, 2025
These benefits are similar to what a green card offers, but without the pathway to U.S. citizenship or the ability to sponsor family members to immigrate to the U.S.
From Slate • Jul. 23, 2025
You emigrate from one country and immigrate to another.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
