immigrate

[im-i-greyt]

verb (used without object)

immigrated, immigrating 

1. to come to a country of which one is not a native, usually for permanent residence.

2. to pass or come into a new habitat or place, as an organism.

verb (used with object)

immigrated, immigrating 

1. to introduce as settlers.

   to immigrate cheap labor.

immigrate

/ ˈɪmɪˌɡreɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to come to a place or country of which one is not a native in order to settle there Compare emigrate

2. (intr) (of an animal or plant) to migrate to a new geographical area

3. (tr) to introduce or bring in as an immigrant

Other Word Forms

• immigrator noun
• immigratory adjective
• unimmigrating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of immigrate¹

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin immigrātus (past participle of immigrāre “to move into”); im- ¹, migrate

Word History and Origins

Origin of immigrate¹

C17: from Latin immigrāre to go into, from _im- + migrāre to move

Synonym Study

See migrate.

Example Sentences

Thammavongsa lives in Toronto, the city to which her Lao parents immigrated from a Thai refugee camp when she was a baby.

From Los Angeles Times

Her mother had immigrated from Mexico and her father from Uruguay in the 1960s.

From Los Angeles Times

Another reason Mennonites may seek to avoid authorities is that some live in the U.S. illegally, having immigrated to Texas from Canada, Mexico, and Bolivia in waves over the past 50 years.

From Salon

Trejo, a Mexican American director born and raised in Los Angeles, and Da Silva, a Mexican Brazilian actor and filmmaker who immigrated to the States from Brazil, wanted to change that.

From Los Angeles Times

Born near Belgrade, Tana played professional soccer in Canada before immigrating to the United States, where he studied acting.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arrive 
• migrate