Pilgrim
noun /ˈpɪl.ɡrɪm/ — A person who journeys to a sacred or significant place for devotion.
Definition
A person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons; also any person who undertakes a long journey in search of something meaningful. The pilgrim travels not merely for destination but for transformation — expecting to arrive as a different person than they departed.
Beyond the definition
The pilgrim's journey is inward as much as outward. Every step is both a physical movement and an internal one. The destination matters, but the journey is where the change happens.
Origin & history
Latin: 'peregrinus' (foreigner, traveller). From 'peregre' (abroad, from foreign parts). The pilgrim is a person in a foreign place — which is also the condition of anyone in transit between who they were and who they are becoming.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She walked the Camino as a pilgrim — not religious exactly, but seeking something she couldn't name.
The city received millions of pilgrims each year, each arriving with a different question.
He approached his grief like a pilgrim: with patience, without a map, trusting the journey to become the answer.
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 “Pilgrim” when the meaning fits your context: A person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons; also any person who undertakes a long journey in search of something meaningful. The pilgrim travels not merely for destination but for transformation — expecting to arrive as a different person than they departed.
Synonyms
traveller, devotee, wanderer, seeker
Antonyms
tourist, resident, settler
Related words
Pilgrim vs traveler
A traveler can be anyone going anywhere for any reason. A pilgrim is specifically motivated by a religious or spiritual quest to reach a sacred destination.
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.
Fictional scene
Entering The Ancient Forest Path
An adult stands at the entrance of an ancient, quiet forest, holding a small glowing talisman, with one foot on a sunlit path.
The individual is a pilgrim at a sacred threshold. The act of crossing into the ancient forest, equipped with a talisman, signifies a journey undertaken not just to arrive at a destination, but to undergo a significant personal transformation, moving from the known into the profound.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Pilgrim" mean?
Pilgrim is noun meaning: A person who journeys to a sacred or significant place for devotion.. A person who journeys to a sacred place for religious reasons; also any person who undertakes a long journey in search of something meaningful. The pilgrim travels not merely for destination but for transformation — expecting to arrive as a different person than they departed.
Where does the word "Pilgrim" come from?
Latin: 'peregrinus' (foreigner, traveller). From 'peregre' (abroad, from foreign parts). The pilgrim is a person in a foreign place — which is also the condition of anyone in transit between who they were and who they are becoming.