2 syllables: Mi, grate. Stress on Mi.
MEYE-grayt
/ˈmaɪˌɡɹeɪt/
Migrate is pronounced MEYE-grayt (/ˈmaɪˌɡɹeɪt/). It has two syllables (Mi-grate), with the stress on "Mi". Migrate is a verb meaning to move from one region or habitat to another, typically on a seasonal basis, or to relocate for work or study. It encompasses both animals moving between habitats and people moving internationally or domestically, often driven by environmental, economic, or personal factors. The core idea is deliberate movement from one place to another with eventual settlement in a new location.
verbMigrate is a verb meaning to move from one region or habitat to another, typically on a seasonal basis, or to relocate for work or study. It encompasses both animals moving between habitats and people moving internationally or domestically, often driven by environmental, economic, or personal factors. The core idea is deliberate movement from one place to another with eventual settlement in a new location.
"Animals migrate to warmer climates during winter."
"Many families plan to migrate after receiving job offers abroad."
"The company will migrate its data to a cloud-based platform next quarter."
Pronounce as /maɪˈɡreɪt/. The primary stress is on the second syllable. Start with the long I in 'my' (/maɪ/), then a hard g (/ɡ/), and finish with the 'rate' sound (/reɪt/). Think: my-GRATE. For a natural flow, connect the syllables without a strong pause between them. Audio reference: you can listen to /maɪˈɡreɪt/ in Pronounce or YouGlish examples.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable (misplacing stress on /maɪ/ instead of /ˈɡreɪ/ or misplacing emphasis to the wrong syllable) and mispronouncing the final /eɪt/ as /eɪ/ or /ɪt/. Correct by stressing the second syllable: /maɪˈɡreɪt/. Ensure the /g/ is hard, not softened, and end with a crisp /t/. Slow practice with a light, quick release on the final /t/ helps a natural finish.
In US, UK, and AU accents, the pronunciation remains /maɪˈɡreɪt/ with rhoticity affecting only r-colored aspects in some sequences; the key differences lie in vowel quality around /aɪ/ and /eɪ/. US tends to be a slightly flatter diphthong in /aɪ/, UK maintains a crisper /eɪ/ in the second syllable, and AU often glides more toward an open front vowel. Overall, rhotics are less pronounced in non-rhotic regions; the core syllabic stress and consonants stay consistent.
The difficulty centers on the two-stressed syllable word pattern and the need for a clear secondary stress on the second syllable, along with crisp final /t/. Learners often misplace stress on the first syllable or merge /ɡr/ into a single sound. Also, maintaining the boundary between /ɡ/ and /reɪt/ can blur in fast speech. Practice with slow monosyllabic chunks: /maɪ/ + /ˈɡreɪt/ and gradually link them without adding extra vowels between syllables.
A unique nuance is the shift in meaning when used transitively vs. intransitively in contexts like data, people, or wildlife: migrate to a place (or migrate data to a new system) keeps the sense of moving toward a destination. The stress pattern remains the same, but you may hear slightly stronger aspiration on the /ɡ/ and a sharper release on the final /t/ in careful speech.
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The verb migrate derives from the Latin migrare, meaning to move, wander, or change domicile. Migrare itself combines agere ‘to drive, move’ with migrus, a borrowed component referring to change or removal. In Latin, migrāre described the act of moving from one place to another, especially across borders or regions. The word entered English via Old French migre, with early senses tied to human relocation and animal movement alike. In Middle English and Early Modern English, migrate broadened to include seasonal animal movements as well as human relocation for economic or exploratory purposes. By the 16th–18th centuries, migration had acquired more formal usage in sociology and geography, aligning with concepts of population shift, colonization, and labor mobility. In contemporary usage, migrate covers a wide range of motions—from wildlife patterns to digital data transfers and organizational changes—retaining the fundamental sense of purposeful, directional movement across space or state lines.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Migrate" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Migrate" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Migrate"
-git sounds
-ite sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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