Reading Theme:
Migrate: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (3 meaning)
Meaning 1：move permanently (migrate)
migrate
/ˈmaɪ.ɡreɪt/
v.
To move from one country or region to another to live there permanently.
move permanently
➕
/muːv ˈpɜːmənəntli/
v.
To relocate one's permanent residence from one country, region, or place to another.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'migrare', meaning to move or change one's abode.
💡 Mnemonic
Think: My GRATE got legs and moved away.
📖 Example
After he got the new job offer, his whole family decided to migrate to Australia for a better life.
After he got the new job offer, his whole family decided to move permanently to Australia for a better life.
🔗 Collocations
migrate to – to move permanently to a specific destination
migrate from – to move permanently away from a specific origin
migrate overseas – to move permanently to another country across the sea
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
The word 'migrate' originates from the Latin verb 'migrare', which means 'to move from one place to another'. Historically, it primarily described human movement. Its modern extensions to animals (19th century) and digital data (20th century) mirror key societal and technological shifts. It's frequently used in news discussing global population trends.
Meaning 2：seasonally relocate (migrate)
migrate
/ˈmaɪ.ɡreɪt/
v.
When animals, especially birds or fish, travel long distances from one place to another at different times of the year.
seasonally relocate
➕
/ˈsiːzənəli riːˈləʊkeɪt/
v.
To travel seasonally from one region or habitat to another, typically over long distances, for feeding or breeding.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
Every autumn, we can see flocks of geese migrate south to escape the cold winter.
Every autumn, we can see flocks of geese seasonally relocate south to escape the cold winter.
🔗 Collocations
migrate south/north – to move towards the south or north (for seasonal relocation)
annual migration – the yearly journey made by animals
migratory patterns – the regular routes and timing of animal movement
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
reside (v.) – to live permanently in one place
🌱 Derivatives
migratory (adj.) – relating to or characterized by migration
Meaning 3：transfer data (migrate)
migrate
/ˈmaɪ.ɡreɪt/
v.
To move data, programs, or a system from one computer or device to another.
transfer data
➕
/trænsˈfɜː ˈdeɪtə/
v.
To move digital information, software applications, or entire operating systems from one computing environment or storage device to another.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
Before you get a new phone, remember to migrate all your photos and contacts to the cloud for safety.
Before you get a new phone, remember to transfer all your photos and contacts to the cloud for safety.
🔗 Collocations
migrate data – to transfer digital information from one system to another
server migration – the process of moving data and services from one server to another
cloud migration – the process of moving data, applications, or other business elements to a cloud computing environment
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
store locally (phrase) – to keep data on a specific, non-moving device
🌱 Derivatives
migration (n.) – the process of transferring data or systems
data migration (n. phrase) – the process of selecting, preparing, extracting, and transforming data for transfer
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