verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/maɪˈɡɹeɪt/
/ˈmaɪ.ɡɹeɪt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪt
rhymes with -aɪɡɹeɪt
CMU ARPABET:M AY1 G R EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To relocate periodically from one region to another, usually according to the seasons.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
Twice a year the geese migrate — from Florida to Canada and back again.
Twice a year the Minnesotans migrate from their state to the Gulf of Mexico.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To change one's geographic pattern of habitation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
Many groups had migrated to western Europe from the plains of eastern Europe.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To change habitations across a border; to move from one country or political region to another.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
To escape persecution, they migrated to a neutral country.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To move slowly towards, usually in groups.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
Once the hosts started bickering in the kitchens, the guests began to migrate towards the living room.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To move gradually, especially from an intended to an unintended position.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
Oil was able to migrate from the accessory gearbox into the magneto housing through the improperly installed gland seals.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To move computer code or files from one computer or network to another.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
They had finished migrating all of the affected code to the production server by 2:00am, three hours later than expected.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To induce customers to shift purchases from one set of a company's related products to another.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: business, marketing
Examples
We were hoping to migrate the customers of the "C" series to the "E" series and the "E" customers to the "S" series.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
move from one country or region to another and settle there
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Many Germans migrated to South America in the mid-19th century
This tribe transmigrated many times over the centuries
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: transmigrate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: move
Narrower terms: immigrate, emigrate
9
verb
Meaning 9
move periodically or seasonally
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
birds migrate in the Winter
The workers migrate to where the crops need harvesting
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: move
History
Etymology
First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin migrātus, perfect passive participle of migrō (“to migrate, change, transport”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Across languages
Translations
51 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
migreer
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Azerbaijani:
köç etmək
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Azerbaijani:
köçmək
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Bulgarian:
мигри́рам
(migríram)
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Burmese:
ရွှေ့ပြောင်း
(hrwe.praung:)
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Catalan:
migrar
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Chinese Mandarin:
迁徙
(qiánxǐ)
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Danish:
migrere
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Dutch:
migreren
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Esperanto:
migri
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Finnish:
muuttaa
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Finnish:
vaeltaa
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
German:
migrieren
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Greek:
αποδημώ
(apodimó)
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Hindi:
प्रवास करना
(pravās karnā)
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Italian:
migrare
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Latin:
migrō
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Norwegian Bokmål:
migrere
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Romanian:
migra
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Russian:
мигри́ровать
(migrírovatʹ)
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Russian:
соверша́ть перелёт
(soveršátʹ pereljót)
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Spanish:
migrar
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Swedish:
migrera
— to relocate periodically from one region to another
Bulgarian:
мигри́рам
(migríram)
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Chinese Mandarin:
迁移
(qiānyí)
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Finnish:
vaeltaa
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Manchu:
ᡤᡠᡵᡳᠮᠪᡳ
(gurimbi)
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Māori:
heke
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Russian:
мигри́ровать
(migrírovatʹ)
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Russian:
переселя́ться
(pereseljátʹsja)
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Russian:
пересели́ться
(pereselítʹsja)
— to change one's geographic pattern of habitation
Bulgarian:
емигри́рам
(emigríram)
— to change habitations across a border
Finnish:
muuttaa
— to change habitations across a border
Russian:
мигри́ровать
(migrírovatʹ)
— to change habitations across a border
Russian:
переселя́ться
(pereseljátʹsja)
— to change habitations across a border
Russian:
пересели́ться
(pereselítʹsja)
— to change habitations across a border
Northern Sami:
fárret
— to change habitations across a border
Bulgarian:
мигри́рам
(migríram)
— to move slowly towards, usually in groups
Finnish:
valua
— to move slowly towards, usually in groups
Russian:
мигри́ровать
(migrírovatʹ)
— to move slowly towards, usually in groups
Russian:
кочева́ть
(kočevátʹ)
— to move slowly towards, usually in groups
Azerbaijani:
köçürmək
— to move computer code or files
Finnish:
siirtää
— to move computer code or files
Greek:
μετεγκαθιστώ
(metegkathistó)
— to move computer code or files
Japanese:
移行する
(ikō suru)
— to move computer code or files
Russian:
переноси́ть
(perenosítʹ)
— to move computer code or files
Russian:
перенести́
(perenestí)
— to move computer code or files
Swedish:
överföra
— to move computer code or files
Swedish:
migrera
— to move computer code or files
Swedish:
flytta
— to move computer code or files
Finnish:
saada siirtymään
— marketing: to induce customers to shift purchases
