emigrate

verb

em·​i·​grate ˈe-mə-ˌgrāt How to pronounce emigrate (audio)
emigrated; emigrating
Synonyms of emigratenext

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 stresses the country someone is going to, while emigrant (and its verb emigrate) stresses the country someone is 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Including Faizan, whose parents emigrated from southern India, 30 of the past 36 champions have been Indian American. —Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 30 May 2025 People emigrating from other countries do not make up a large share of San Diego County’s homeless population. —Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025 The family of three had originally emigrated from Peru, where their daughter was born. —Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025 Less than a year after emigrating, Ranga’s father passed away and the event haunted him until his own brush with death years later. —Outside Online, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for emigrate

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emigrate was in 1749

Rhymes for emigrate

See All Rhymes for emigrate

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Emigrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emigrate. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.

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Kids Definition

emigrate

verb
em·​i·​grate ˈem-ə-ˌgrāt How to pronounce emigrate (audio)
emigrated; emigrating
: to leave a country or region to live elsewhere
emigration
ˌem-ə-ˈgrā-shən How to pronounce emigrate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on emigrate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for emigrate

Nglish: Translation of emigrate for Spanish Speakers

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