Emigrate vs immigrate
Emigrate means to leave your country to live somewhere else, with the focus on leaving. Immigrate means to come into a new country to live there, with the focus on arriving.
Emigrate starts with E, like exit. Immigrate starts with I, like in.
emigrate verb
To leave the country where you live, often your home country, to live somewhere else.
- She plans to emigrate from Ireland once she finishes her medical training.
- Many young people emigrated to find work abroad.
immigrate verb
To move to a new country so you can live there for good.
- Her parents immigrated to the United States from Vietnam when she was two.
- He immigrated to Canada and became a citizen ten years later.
Watch out
- One move can use both words: a person emigrates from the old country and immigrates to the new one. Both verbs can name either country, as in emigrate to Canada. Pick the side you mean.Her parents emigrated from Vietnam and immigrated to the United States.
Test yourself
My grandfather decided to blank from Italy after the war, leaving his whole family behind.
Show answer
emigrate. The sentence is about leaving Italy and the family behind, so the focus is on leaving: emigrate.
Australia's government lets thousands of skilled workers blank each year.
Show answer
immigrate. The government lets people come into Australia, so the focus is on arriving: immigrate.
She was sad to blank from the country where she was born.
Show answer
emigrate. She is leaving her home country, so emigrate.
Full entries: emigrateimmigrate