Migratory

How to spell migratory

9 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce migratory

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does migratory mean?

1. adjectiveRelating to or characterised by movement from one region to another, especially the seasonal travel of animals or people.

Migratory in a sentence

• The reserve protects several migratory bird species that pass through each autumn.

• Farm work in the region depends heavily on migratory labour during the harvest.

Where does migratory come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word comes from the Latin verb migrare, which meant 'to move from one place to another' or 'to change one's dwelling'. From that verb Latin formed migratorius, an adjective describing things that wander or move seasonally. English adopted the word in the early eighteenth century, chiefly through the study of birds and animals that travel with the seasons. It shares its root with the everyday words 'migrate', 'migrant', and 'emigrate', all of which carry that same core idea of shifting location. The single g and the -atory ending are the spelling points to watch, since the related noun 'migration' keeps the same shape and can anchor the memory.

How the word is built

• migr- (from migrare: to move from one place to another)
• -atory (adjective suffix meaning 'relating to' or 'characterised by')