# migration

/maɪˈɡɹeɪʃən/ (US) · /maɪɡɹˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/migration
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. people moving

noun · CEFR B2

the movement of people from one country or area to another to live and work.

For teachers: the movement of persons from one locality to another, often across political boundaries, for permanent or semi-permanent residence.

- The migration of workers to the cities has changed the country's economy.
- Economic instability in the rural provinces triggered a massive migration toward the industrial hubs of the north.

### 2. animal movement

noun · CEFR B2

the seasonal journey of animals, like birds or fish, from one region to another.

For teachers: the seasonal movement of animals from one region to another, typically in response to changes in food supply or breeding requirements.

- Every autumn, we watch the migration of birds flying south for the winter.
- The annual wildebeest migration across the Serengeti is one of the most complex and visually stunning events in the natural world.

### 3. computing/data

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the process of moving data or software from one computer system or platform to another.

For teachers: the process of transferring data, applications, or entire operating environments from one hardware or software platform to another.

- The company is planning a migration of all its files to a new cloud system.
- The database migration was scheduled for midnight to minimize the impact of potential downtime on the global user base.

Usage: Often used with 'to' or 'from' to indicate the source and destination systems.

### 4. biology/cells

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the movement of cells within a body to a specific location.

For teachers: the directed movement of cells in response to chemical or mechanical signals, essential for processes like wound healing.

- The migration of white blood cells to the injury helps the body heal.
- Researchers are studying how the abnormal migration of cancer cells leads to the formation of secondary tumours in other organs.

## Examples

- The data migration to the new server takes three hours.
- Our IT department scheduled the database migration for Sunday night to minimize disruption to the sales team.
- Successful cloud migration requires a comprehensive audit of legacy applications to determine which services can be moved directly and which require a complete architectural redesign.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.