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Origin and history of emigration

emigration(n.)

"removal from one country or region to another for the purpose of residence," 1640s, from Late Latin emigrationem (nominative emigratio) "removal from a place," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin emigrare "move away, depart from a place," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + migrare "to move" (from PIE root *mei- (1) "to change, go, move").

also from 1640s

Entries linking to emigration

emigrant(n.)

"one who quits a country or region to settle in another," 1732, in reference to German Protestant refugees, from Latin emigrantem (nominative emigrans), present participle of emigrare "move away" (see emigration). As an adjective in English from 1794.

emigrate(v.)

"to quit one country, state, or region and settle in another," 1763, in reference to the Acadians; a back-formation from emigration, or else from Latin emigratus, past participle of emigrare "move away, depart from a place," from assimilated form of ex "out" (see ex-) + migrare "to move" (from PIE root *mei- (1) "to change, go, move"). In 19c. U.S., also "to remove from one state to another state or territory." Related: Emigrated; emigrating.

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emigre
"an emigrant," applied specifically to royalists and others who fled France during the 1789 revolution, 1792, from French émigré "an emigrant," noun use of past participle of émigrer "emigrate" (18c.), from Latin emigrare "depart from a place" (see emigration). Originally used of
migration
"change of residence or habitat, removal or transit from one locality to another, especially at a distance," 1610s, of persons, 1640s of animals, from Latin migrationem (nominative migratio) "a removal, change of abode, migration," noun of action from past-participle stem of migr
jersey
1580s as a type of knitted cloth; 1842 as a breed of cattle; both from Jersey, one of the Channel Islands. Its name is said to be a corruption of Latin Caesarea, the Roman name for the island (or another near it), influenced by Old English ey "island" (see island); but it is perh
giddy-up
command to a horse to go, 1909, probably an extended form of earlier giddap (1867), itself probably from get up. Compare gee. The terms used to start horses in harness and to urge them to a better appreciation of the value of time comprise vulgar corruptions of ordinary speech a
act
late 14c., "a thing done," from Latin actus "a doing; a driving, impulse, a setting in motion; a part in a play," and actum "a thing done" (originally a legal term), both from agere "to set in motion, drive, drive forward," hence "to do, perform," figuratively "incite to action;
diaspora
1825 in reference to Moravian protestants; 1869 in reference to the dispersion of the Jews; from Greek diaspora "dispersion," from diaspeirein "to scatter about, disperse," from dia "about, across" (see dia-) + speirein "to scatter" (see sparse). The Greek word was used in Septua
explode
1530s (transitive), "to reject with scorn," from Latin explodere "drive out or off by clapping, hiss off, hoot off," originally theatrical, "to drive an actor off the stage by making noise," hence "drive out, reject, destroy the repute of" (a sense surviving in an exploded theory
abroad
mid-13c., "widely apart," a contraction of on brode, from Old English on brede, "in width," literally "at wide" (see a- (1) + broad (adj.)). From c. 1300 as "at a distance from each other," hence "out of doors, away from home" (late 14c.) also "at a distance generally" (early 15c
scorn
late 12c., scorn, skarn, "feeling or attitude of contempt; contemptuous treatment, mocking abuse," a shortening of Old French escarn "mockery, derision, contempt," a common Romanic word (Spanish escarnio, Italian scherno) of Germanic origin (source also of Old High German skern "
debate
late 14c., "to quarrel, dispute," also "to combat, fight, make war" (senses now archaic), also "discuss, deliberate upon the pros and cons of," from Old French debatre (13c., Modern French débattre), originally "to fight," from de- "down, completely" (see de-) + batre "to beat,"

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