Immigrant, Emigrant...Migrant?

In addition to my editing business, I’m also a homeschool mom to my two kids. Since they are both in high school and don’t need my supervision too much anymore, I’ve been relegated to editor of their papers.

The other day I was reviewing my daughter’s Art History paper, and she referred to an artist who had emigrated to the United States. That got me thinking: what’s the difference between emigrate and immigrate? I confess I hadn’t given that much thought before, but that’s my favorite part of editing—choosing the exact right word for the situation. My curiosity was further piqued since migration and immigration are all over the news right now. Are these three words synonyms or just related somehow?

Here’s the scoop.

Emigrate

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, emigrate is a verb that means to leave one’s place of residence to live elsewhere.

Prince Harry and Meghan emigrated to the United States from England.

Immigrate

To immigrate (also a verb) means to enter and become established in a country that is not your native land.

In the early 1900s, millions of Europeans immigrated to America.

Migrate

Migrate means to move from one country, place, or locality to another, or to pass periodically from one region to another for feeding, breeding, or other reasons. The key distinction with migrate is an assumption that the person or animal will eventually go back from whence they came.

Hummingbirds migrate to a warmer climate during winter months.

Memory Tricks

Now that we know the difference between these words, here’s how to remember which is which:

·        Emigrate is when you exit a country.

·        Immigrate is when you come in to a new country.

·        Migrate is when you move.

Hope that helps you remember—and use—these words correctly!