Meaning & use
emigrants
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“emigrants” is a form of “emigrant”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
people who leave their own country in order to live permanently in another one
Grammar: Countable noun; the singular is 'emigrant'. It is usually followed by 'from' for the country left and 'to' for the destination.
Patterns
- emigrants from a country
- emigrants to a country
- a wave of emigrants
In the 19th century, many emigrants left Europe for America.
The port was crowded with emigrants waiting for ships.
These emigrants from Ireland settled in Boston and New York.
nounplural
people who leave a place to settle elsewhere, often used for groups moving within a region
Grammar: Can refer to movement within a country when the context makes the destination clear.
Patterns
- emigrants from rural areas
- emigrants seeking work
Emigrants from rural areas moved to the cities for factory jobs.
The village lost many emigrants during the economic crisis.
Word forms
| singular | emigrant |
|---|
Common combinations
- emigrants from
- Emigrants from Italy arrived in large numbers.
- emigrants to
- The ship carried emigrants to Australia.
- a wave of emigrants
- A wave of emigrants left after the war.
- illegal emigrants
- The law targeted illegal emigrants crossing the border.
- emigrants and immigrants
- The museum tells the story of emigrants and immigrants.
Synonyms and how they differ
- migrants
- A broader term for people who move, whether within a country or between countries, and whether temporarily or permanently.
- expatriates
- Often used for people who live abroad, usually professionals, and does not always suggest permanent settlement.
- refugees
- Specifically people forced to flee because of danger or persecution, whereas emigrants may leave for any reason.
Opposites
Word family
- emigrate verb
- to leave your own country to live in another
- emigration noun
- the act of leaving your country to live elsewhere
Commonly confused: emigrants or immigrants?
emigrants vs immigrants
Immigrants are people who come into a country; emigrants are people who leave one. The prefix 'e-' (out) and 'im-' (in) show the direction.
Practice
Choose the correct word: 'Many ___ left Ireland during the famine and sailed to New York.'
Choose one answer.
The people are leaving Ireland, so they are emigrants from that country. 'Immigrants' would describe them after they arrive in New York, 'emigration' is the process, and 'emigrate' is a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “emigrants”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.