The word immigrant refers to a person who moves to another country to live there permanently. Picture a family leaving their homeland in search of better jobs, safety, or education. They start a new life, learn a new language, and adjust to a new culture — that family is made up of immigrants.
This word appears often in news, politics, education, and everyday conversation, especially in discussions about society, culture, and law. Because it is both common and sensitive, understanding its precise meaning — and the words related to it — is genuinely useful for both careful writing and respectful conversation.
Meaning of Immigrant
Immigrant (Noun): A person who comes to live permanently in a country that is not their country of origin.
Examples:
- The immigrant worked hard to build a new life.
- Many immigrants move in search of better opportunities.
Connotative Meaning
(Connotation is the emotional association a word carries beyond its literal meaning.)
- Positive tone: hope, opportunity, diversity
- Negative tone: can carry political or social tension depending on context
- Neutral tone: a plain legal or demographic term
Etymology
From the Latin immigrare, meaning “to move into” — from in- (“into”) and migrare (“to move, to migrate from one place to another”).
Short History
- Old English period: the concept of settling in a new land existed, but “immigrant” was not yet a distinct English word.
- Middle English period: English vocabulary around movement and settlement was shaped by Latin and French borrowings.
- Modern English: “immigrant” entered common use by the 17th century, as record-keeping around nationality and settlement became more formal.
Pronunciation (US & UK – IPA)
- US: /ˈɪmɪɡrənt/
- UK: /ˈɪmɪɡrənt/
- Syllables: im-mi-grant
Word Formation
| Word | Part of Speech |
|---|---|
| Immigrate | Verb |
| Immigration | Noun |
| Immigrant | Noun |
| Migratory | Adjective |
| Migration | Noun |
| Migrant | Noun |
30 Synonyms of Immigrant
Each entry below notes not just the meaning, but how it differs in formality, permanence, or legal weight from “immigrant” — this is the piece most vocabulary lists skip, and it’s the part that actually helps you choose the right word.
- Migrant (US /ˈmaɪɡrənt/ · UK /ˈmaɪɡrənt/) — A person who moves from one place to another; broader than “immigrant” because it doesn’t specify permanence. “Migrants search for seasonal work.”
- Settler (US /ˈsɛtlər/ · UK /ˈsɛtlə/) — Someone who establishes a permanent home in a new, often previously undeveloped, area; carries a historical/colonial tone. “Early settlers farmed the land.”
- Newcomer (US /ˈnuːˌkʌmər/ · UK /ˈnjuːˌkʌmə/) — An informal, neutral term for anyone who has recently arrived somewhere. “The school welcomed the newcomer.”
- Expatriate (US /ɛksˈpeɪtriət/ · UK /ɛksˈpætriət/) — A person living outside their native country, often temporarily and often for work; usually implies retained ties to the home country. “He works abroad as an expatriate.”
- Foreigner (US /ˈfɔːrənər/ · UK /ˈfɒrənə/) — A general, sometimes informal term for someone from another country; does not imply permanent settlement. “She felt like a foreigner at first.”
- Emigrant (US /ˈɛmɪɡrənt/ · UK /ˈɛmɪɡrənt/) — The same person as an immigrant, described from the departure side rather than the arrival side. A person is an emigrant from their home country and an immigrant to their new one. “The emigrant left her country for work abroad.”
- Resident (US /ˈrɛzɪdənt/ · UK /ˈrɛzɪdənt/) — A person living in a place, with no implication about origin or citizenship status. “She is a permanent resident.”
- Colonist (US /ˈkɑːlənɪst/ · UK /ˈkɒlənɪst/) — A historical term for a settler establishing a colony; tied to a specific era, not modern immigration. “Colonists arrived by ship.”
- Sojourner (US /ˈsoʊdʒɜːrnər/ · UK /ˈsɒdʒɜːnə/) — A person staying somewhere temporarily, with an explicit expectation of leaving. “He was a sojourner, not a settler.”
- Alien (US /ˈeɪliən/ · UK /ˈeɪliən/) — A formal legal term for a foreign national, used mainly in immigration law; can sound cold or dehumanizing in casual use. “The law refers to alien status.”
- Refugee (US /ˌrɛfjʊˈdʒiː/ · UK /ˌrɛfjʊˈdʒiː/) — A person fleeing war, persecution, or disaster, protected under international law; not a synonym for economic migration. “Refugees crossed the border seeking safety.”
- Asylum seeker (US /əˈsaɪləm ˈsiːkər/ · UK /əˈsaɪləm ˈsiːkə/) — A person formally requesting legal protection, whose refugee status has not yet been confirmed. “The asylum seeker applied for protection.”
- Transplant (informal, US /ˈtrænsplænt/ · UK /ˈtrænsplɑːnt/) — A casual term for someone who relocated, typically used domestically (e.g., moving cities within the same country) rather than across nations. “She’s a New York transplant.”
- Arrival (US /əˈraɪvəl/ · UK /əˈraɪvəl/) — Someone who has just come to a place; used loosely, not a technical or legal term. “The new arrival joined the class.”
- Entrant (US /ˈɛntrənt/ · UK /ˈɛntrənt/) — A person entering a country or system, often used in bureaucratic or statistical contexts. “New entrants must complete the paperwork.”
- Nomad (US /ˈnoʊmæd/ · UK /ˈnəʊmæd/) — A person with no fixed home who moves frequently; describes a lifestyle, not a one-time relocation. “Nomads move with the seasons.”
- Pioneer (US /ˌpaɪəˈnɪr/ · UK /ˌpaɪəˈnɪə/) — An early settler of a new, often undeveloped, territory; historical and somewhat celebratory in tone. “Pioneers explored uncharted land.”
- Relocator (US /ˌriːloʊˈkeɪtər/ · UK /ˌriːləʊˈkeɪtə/) — A neutral, mostly administrative term for someone who has moved, often for work. “The relocator found housing quickly.”
- Migrator (US /ˈmaɪɡreɪtər/ · UK /ˈmaɪɡreɪtə/) — Someone who migrates; less common than “migrant” and often used more loosely, including for animals. “Migrators cross borders in search of work.”
- Border-crosser (US /ˈbɔːrdər ˌkrɔːsər/ · UK /ˈbɔːdə ˌkrɒsə/) — A descriptive term focused on the physical act of crossing a national border, often used in policy contexts. “Border-crossers must present documents.”
- Foreign national (US /ˈfɔːrən ˈnæʃənəl/ · UK /ˈfɒrən ˈnæʃənəl/) — A legal term for a person belonging to another country’s citizenship, used in official and immigration contexts. “Foreign nationals must register with authorities.”
- Foreign-born (person) (adjective, used with a noun — US /ˈfɔːrən bɔːrn/ · UK /ˈfɒrən bɔːn/) — Describes someone born outside the country where they now live; a demographic/statistical descriptor rather than a standalone noun. “Many foreign-born residents work here.”
- Guest worker (US /ɡɛst ˈwɜːrkər/ · UK /ɡɛst ˈwɜːkə/) — A person granted temporary legal status to work in another country, typically expected to return home. “Guest workers filled seasonal jobs.”
- Permanent resident (US /ˈpɜːrmənənt ˈrɛzɪdənt/ · UK /ˈpɜːmənənt ˈrɛzɪdənt/) — A formal immigration status: a non-citizen legally authorized to live in a country indefinitely. “She became a permanent resident.”
- Green card holder (US-specific term) — The informal name for a U.S. permanent resident, referring to the physical/digital proof of that status. “He is a green card holder.”
- Re-settler (US /riːˈsɛtlər/ · UK /riːˈsɛtlə/) — A person settling in a new place for a second time, often after an earlier displacement. “The re-settler rebuilt a home after years of moving.”
- Diaspora member (US /daɪˈæspərə/ · UK /daɪˈæspərə/) — A person belonging to a community with a shared origin now dispersed across other countries; emphasizes cultural/community identity over legal status. “She stays connected to the diaspora.”
- New resident (US /nuː ˈrɛzɪdənt/ · UK /njuː ˈrɛzɪdənt/) — A general, neutral term for someone recently settled in an area, with no legal implication. “New residents must register locally.”
- Incomer (chiefly British, US /ˈɪnˌkʌmər/ · UK /ˈɪnˌkʌmə/) — A person who has moved into a community from outside; used mainly in UK English, often about internal migration. “The incomer slowly became part of the village.”
- Repatriate (context-dependent, US /riːˈpeɪtriˌeɪt/ · UK /riːˈpætrieɪt/) — Someone returning to their own country after living abroad; technically the reverse of “immigrant,” but included here because it’s commonly confused with it. “The repatriate returned home after a decade abroad.”
Categorization by Type
Grouping these terms by category makes it easier to pick the right one:
- General movement (no permanence implied): migrant, migrator, relocator, nomad
- Permanent settlement: settler, permanent resident, colonist, pioneer, re-settler
- Temporary stay: guest worker, sojourner, expatriate
- Legal / official status: alien, foreign national, asylum seeker, permanent resident, green card holder
- Protection-based movement: refugee, asylum seeker
- Community / cultural identity: diaspora member, foreign-born
- Informal / everyday use: newcomer, transplant, arrival, incomer
Antonyms of Immigrant
- Native
- Local
- Native-born citizen
- Indigenous person
- Emigrant (when viewed from the perspective of the country being entered — since an emigrant is, by definition, someone leaving rather than arriving)
Note: “Citizen” is not a clean antonym. An immigrant can become a citizen through naturalization, so the two words describe different stages of the same journey rather than opposite categories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does immigrant mean? A person who moves to another country to live there permanently.
When should “immigrant” be used? When referring to someone who has settled, or intends to settle, permanently in a new country.
Is “immigrant” a positive or negative word? It is neutral by definition. Its emotional tone shifts depending on the political or social context in which it’s used — which is exactly why having a range of alternative words matters.
How is “immigrant” different from “migrant”? An immigrant has settled, or intends to settle, permanently. A migrant may move temporarily, seasonally, or without a fixed intention to stay.
How is “immigrant” different from “emigrant”? They describe the same person from two different vantage points: emigrant looks at the country they left; immigrant looks at the country they entered.
Conclusion
Learning the word immigrant and its related vocabulary sharpens your ability to write and speak clearly about one of the most discussed topics in modern society. The right synonym does two things at once: it avoids repetition, and it signals precision — a “refugee” is not the same as a “guest worker,” and a “permanent resident” is not the same as a “sojourner.” Choosing carefully shows respect for the people the words describe and makes your writing more accurate and credible. Practice using one or two of these words a day, and your vocabulary — and your judgment about tone and context — will grow together.
