What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
emigrant
Example
My great-grandparents were emigrants from Italy who settled in the United States. [emigrants: noun]
Example
She decided to become an emigrant and move to Canada for a better life. [emigrant: noun]
migrant
Example
The farm hired migrant workers to help with the harvest. [migrant: noun]
Example
She became a migrant worker and traveled across the country to find employment. [migrant: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Migrant is more commonly used than emigrant in everyday language. Migrant is a versatile word that covers a wide range of contexts, while emigrant is less common and refers specifically to people who are leaving their home country to settle permanently in another country.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between emigrant and migrant?
Both emigrant and migrant are formal words that are appropriate for use in academic or professional contexts. However, emigrant may be considered more formal due to its specific meaning and less frequent usage in everyday language.
