migratory

M3I1G2R1A1T1O1R1Y4
Canada, US/ˈmaɪ.ɡɹəˌtɔɹ.i/UK/ˌmaɪˈɡɹeɪ.tə.ɹi/

adjective

Migrating.

“migratory habits; a migratory life”

Similar
migrantunsettled
Opposite
sedentarynonmigratory
OriginLatin migrātōrius →
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

adjectivemigratory (not comparable)
  1. not comparableetcMigrating.

    Even among migratory species, only a few (Aglaura hemistoma, Abylopsis tetragona eudoxids, Beroe sp., Thalia democratica, Salpa fusiformis) crossed the thermocline and reached the bottom layer.

    2015 December 5, “Diel Vertical Dynamics of Gelatinous Zooplankton (Cnidaria, Ctenophora and Thaliacea) in a Subtropical Stratified Ecosystem (South Brazilian Bight)”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI
    1 more example

    To cope with daily variation of environmental parameters, talitrids evolved a migratory behaviour, synchronized with tidal and nictemeral cycles, that enable them to locate the suitable patches of habitat on the shore (Pardi and Ercolini 1986).

    2012, F.M. Faranda, Mediterranean Ecosystems: Structures and Processes, page 392
  2. not comparableRoving; wandering; nomadic.

    migratory habits; a migratory life

nounmigratory (plural migratories)

plural migratories

  1. abbreviationclippingClipping of migratory bird.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
sedentary

adjectiveused of animals that move seasonally

Opposite
nonmigratory

adjectivehabitually moving from place to place especially in search of seasonal work

Similar
migrantunsettled
Also see
emigratorymigrantunsettled

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinmigrātōrius
  2. Englishmigratory

Borrowed from Latin migrātōrius or migrate + -ory.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian мигриращ, прелетен
  • мигриращ (migrirašt)(of birds, etc) that migrate
  • прелетен (preleten)(of birds, etc) that migrate
Catalan migratori
  • migratori(of birds, etc) that migrate
Czech stěhovavý
  • stěhovavý(of birds, etc) that migrate
Dutch trek-
  • trek-(of birds, etc) that migrate
Finnish muutto-, vaellus-
  • muutto-(of birds, etc) that migrate
  • vaellus-(of birds, etc) that migrate
French migrateur
  • migrateur(of birds, etc) that migrate
German Zug-
  • Zug-(of birds, etc) that migrate
Irish imirceach, aistreánach
  • imirceach(of birds, etc) that migrate
  • aistreánach(of birds, etc) that migrate
Italian migratorio, migrante
  • migratorio(of birds, etc) that migrate
  • migrante(of birds, etc) that migrate
Polish przelotny
  • przelotny(of birds, etc) that migrate
Scottish Gaelic imrich
  • imrich(of birds, etc) that migrate
Spanish migratorio
  • migratorio(of birds, etc) that migrate
Turkish göçebe, göçmen
  • göçebe(of birds, etc) that migrate
  • göçmen(of birds, etc) that migrate
Welsh ymfudol
  • ymfudol(of birds, etc) that migrate
Cite this entry
APA

migratory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/migratory

MLA

“migratory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/migratory. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “migratory,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/migratory.

Source: migratory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.