3 syllables: Im, mi, grant. Stress on Im.
IM-uh-gruhnt
/ˈɪməɡɹənt/
Immigrant is pronounced IM-uh-gruhnt (/ˈɪməɡɹənt/). It has three syllables (Im-mi-grant), with the stress on "Im". Immigrant is an adjective used to describe someone who has moved to a different country and is in the process of settling there. It conveys status related to birth origin and residency, often implying a legal or social transition. In common usage, it can function attributively (an immigrant family) or predicatively (the immigrant is adapting), and is frequently used in discussions of migration, policy, and identity.
adjectiveImmigrant is an adjective used to describe someone who has moved to a different country and is in the process of settling there. It conveys status related to birth origin and residency, often implying a legal or social transition. In common usage, it can function attributively (an immigrant family) or predicatively (the immigrant is adapting), and is frequently used in discussions of migration, policy, and identity.
How to Pronounce Immigrant
"The immigrant community added new language and culture to the city’s fabric."
"As an immigrant, she faced challenges with language and integration but gradually found belonging."
"Policy debates often distinguish between documented immigrants and asylum seekers."
Pronounce as IM-ih-grant. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈɪm.ɪ.ɡrənt/. Primary stress on the first syllable. The middle is a short, unstressed 'i' sound, and the final 'grant' rhymes with 'ant' but begins with an /ɡ/ sound. In careful speech, you’ll clearly articulate the third syllable’s schwa-less 'gr' blend: /-ɡrənt/. Audio resources: listen to Forvo or pronunciation sections in Cambridge/Oxford dictionaries for the exact cadence.
Common errors: (1) Slurring or reducing the middle syllable to a weak vowel, making it IM-ig-rant; (2) Dropping the /r/ in non-rhotic accents when followed by a vowel (but keep the /r/ in rhotic accents); (3) Misplacing primary stress on the second syllable as in im-MI-grant. Corrections: emphasize the first syllable with clear /ɪ/ and avoid a too-strong 'ee' vowel, keep the /ɡ/ firmly, and articulate the final /rənt/ as /rənt/ with short, crisp schwa + /nt/ ending.
In US English, you hear a full rhotic /ˈɪm.ɪ.ɡrənt/ with a clear /r/ in -gr- and -ant; the middle vowels are short and schwa-like. UK English tends toward a non-rhotic style in careful speech, but many speakers still articulate /ˈɪm.ɪ.ɡrənt/ with a lighter /r/ or a linking /r/ when followed by a vowel. Australian English often features a flatter vowel in the first syllables and a lightly rolled or tapped /r/ depending on speaker, with strong final /nt/. In all cases, the first syllable is stressed, and the sequence /ɡrənt/ remains intact.
The word combines a cluster /ɡrənt/ at the end and a repeated short /ɪ/ in the middle. The challenge is keeping the middle vowel distinct while transitioning into the final /grənt/ without adding extra syllables or altering the stress. Additionally, many speakers reduce the middle vowel too much, collapsing it toward /ɪ/ or /ə/. Practice by isolating the syllables IM - i - grant, then blend them with controlled tempo to maintain crisp /ɡ/ onset and a clear /ənt/ ending.
A unique aspect is ensuring the unstressed middle syllable retains a clear, short vowel instead of sliding into a full 'ee' or 'ay' sound. The sequence IM-ih-grant requires precise timing: stress on IM, minimal vowel reduction in the second syllable, and a sturdy /ɡ/ onset before the final /rənt/. Watch for a subtle Schwa or /ɪ/ in the second syllable depending on speaker; in many dialects, the middle vowel remains short and quick, not a full vowel like /iː/.
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The word immigrant derives from the Latin immigrare, formed from in- (into) and migrare (to move, depart). This Latin root gave rise to the Old French immigrant, and later Middle English forms; the noun immigrant appeared in English around the 17th–18th centuries, with the -ant suffix denoting an agent or participant in an action. The modern sense focusing on a person who moves into a country to live developed as nation-states and immigration discourse intensified in the 19th and 20th centuries. Over time, the word has acquired varying connotations, from neutral descriptive usage to more evaluative terms reflecting attitudes toward migration and integration. First known uses appear in travel and legal contexts where individuals crossed borders and settled, evolving into a standard anthropological and sociopolitical descriptor. The term has parallels with migrant and emigre, though immigrant typically emphasizes origin-based relocation and longer-term settlement rather than temporary travel or exile. Contemporary usage frequently intersects with policy language, labor markets, and identity politics, affecting how the term is perceived in different communities and media outlets.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Immigrant" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Immigrant" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Immigrant"
-mit sounds
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