Migration
noun /maɪˈɡreɪ.ʃən/ — Seasonal movement of animals to different habitats.
Definition
The seasonal movement of animals — birds, fish, mammals, insects — from one region to another, typically to exploit seasonal resources or better breeding conditions. Migration is one of the great spectacles of nature.
Beyond the definition
Migration is the animal kingdom's declaration that belonging to a place is conditional on what the place can offer. Every arctic tern flying pole to pole is making the same claim: I will go where I need to go.
Origin & history
From Latin 'migratio' (change of abode); from 'migrare' (to move from place to place). The same root gives us 'emigrate' and 'immigrate'.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The monarch butterfly's migration — four thousand miles to forests they have never seen — is navigated by sun, magnetic field, and inherited knowledge.
Watching the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti: a million animals moving in one direction, the landscape alive.
She thought of her own moves across cities as a form of migration — following seasons of opportunity.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Migration” when the meaning fits your context: The seasonal movement of animals — birds, fish, mammals, insects — from one region to another, typically to exploit seasonal resources or better breeding conditions. Migration is one of the great spectacles of nature.
Synonyms
seasonal movement, wandering, passage
Antonyms
sedentary, resident, stationary
Related words
Migration vs nomadism
Migration is a cyclical, seasonal movement of a species population. Nomadism is the constant, non-cyclical wandering of groups to find resources.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Illustrative example
Geese Flying In V-Formation
Canada geese fly together in a coordinated V-shaped formation against a clear blue sky, showing their group movement.
Migration is the seasonal movement of animals across distances. The coordinated V-formation is a great spectacle of nature, illustrating how collective action enables species to exploit seasonal resources effectively.
Image credit: John Benson · CC BY 2.0 (license)
Resized and converted to WebP; full composition retained.
Questions about this word
What does "Migration" mean?
Migration is noun meaning: Seasonal movement of animals to different habitats.. The seasonal movement of animals — birds, fish, mammals, insects — from one region to another, typically to exploit seasonal resources or better breeding conditions. Migration is one of the great spectacles of nature.
Where does the word "Migration" come from?
From Latin 'migratio' (change of abode); from 'migrare' (to move from place to place). The same root gives us 'emigrate' and 'immigrate'.