immigrant English · revision 10380

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1789|origins=la immigrans}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɪmɪɡɹənt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from Latin immigrāns, immigrantem, the present participle of immigrāre, to go into, move in (see [[immigrate]]),^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) perhaps through French immigrant,^(Etymonline) and on the pattern of the older [[emigrant]].^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who immigrates: 1789 in Merriam-Webster, 1792 in American English in Etymonline and the OED.^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It first appeared in Jeremy Belknap's ''History of New Hampshire'' (1792), and Belknap is generally credited with coining it; he defended immigrant, immigrate and immigration as formed from Latin migro as emerge and immerge are from mergo.^(Etymonline) As an adjective, immigrating, it is from 1805.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) An animal or plant that has spread into a new area is from 1880,^(OED 1989) and a cell that has migrated, in physiology, from 1885.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1789 – first known use.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1792 – in Belknap's history.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1805 – the adjective.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1880 – an immigrant plant or animal.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A plant or animal that becomes established in a new area.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or being an immigrant: ''an immigrant community''.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nonimmigrant]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[immigrate]]

+ * [[immigration]]

+ * [[emigrant]]

+ * [[migrant]]

+ * [[migrate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}