migration
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the movement of people from one country or area to another to live and work.
the movement of persons from one locality to another, often across political boundaries, for permanent or semi-permanent residence.
Simple“The migration of workers to the cities has changed the country's economy.”
In context“Economic instability in the rural provinces triggered a massive migration toward the industrial hubs of the north.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the seasonal journey of animals, like birds or fish, from one region to another.
the seasonal movement of animals from one region to another, typically in response to changes in food supply or breeding requirements.
Simple“Every autumn, we watch the migration of birds flying south for the winter.”
In context“The annual wildebeest migration across the Serengeti is one of the most complex and visually stunning events in the natural world.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
the process of moving data or software from one computer system or platform to another.
the process of transferring data, applications, or entire operating environments from one hardware or software platform to another.
Simple“The company is planning a migration of all its files to a new cloud system.”
In context“The database migration was scheduled for midnight to minimize the impact of potential downtime on the global user base.”
UsageOften used with 'to' or 'from' to indicate the source and destination systems.
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
the movement of cells within a body to a specific location.
the directed movement of cells in response to chemical or mechanical signals, essential for processes like wound healing.
Simple“The migration of white blood cells to the injury helps the body heal.”
In context“Researchers are studying how the abnormal migration of cancer cells leads to the formation of secondary tumours in other organs.”
Synonyms
Usage migration agency
“This led to the ongoing migration of young people to the cities in search of better prospects.”
“It is a facilitator of illegal migration, actively aiding the mass arrival of unvetted, fighting-age males into Britain at a cost of billions to the taxpayer.”
From Middle French migration and its source, Latin migrātiō, from the participle stem of migrō (“I migrate”). Morphologically migrate + -ion.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.