migratory
/ˈmaɪɡrətri/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmaɪɡrətɔːri/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmī-grə-ˌtȯr-ē/ (ame, mw)
migratory — adjective
- migratorypositive
- more migratorycomparative
- most migratorysuperlative
1. used to describe a bird, fish, or other animal that moves from one region to ano
used to describe a bird, fish, or other animal that moves from one region to another at regular times of the year, usually because of changes in weather or food supply.
Migratory birds rest at the Watanabe family farm every autumn before flying south.
before-noun: migratory + bird/fish/species
Scientists tagged a migratory whale near Iceland to track its route to warmer seas.
The lake is an important stop for migratory geese flying between Canada and Mexico.
Andrew filmed a documentary about migratory salmon returning to the same river each spring.
Many migratory species are losing their winter homes because of warmer weather.
- resident
of animals that stay in one place all year
- non-migratory
direct opposite, used in scientific writing
文法句型
migratory + noun (bird, species, route)
用法筆記
Almost always used directly before a noun naming an animal group (bird, fish, species, herd). Rarely appears after 'be'.
常見錯誤
2. describing the routes, patterns, or large-scale movements followed by groups tha
describing the routes, patterns, or large-scale movements followed by groups that travel between regions — used for wildlife as well as for human population flows.
Researchers study the migratory patterns of monarch butterflies across North America.
collocation: migratory pattern / route / behaviour
Climate change is shifting the migratory paths of many seabirds in the Pacific.
Constanza wrote a history book about the migratory waves that shaped early Argentina.
The agency tracks migratory flows of workers crossing the border every harvest season.
Old maps show the migratory routes that hunters followed across the frozen tundra.
- migrational
rare technical alternative; 'migratory' is standard
文法句型
migratory + noun (route, pattern, behaviour)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes the act or pattern of moving (route, pattern, wave, flow), not the animals themselves. Sense 1 takes nouns like 'bird' or 'fish'; sense 2 takes nouns like 'route', 'pattern', or 'wave'.
3. describing people who move from one place to another, often across regions, main
describing people who move from one place to another, often across regions, mainly to find short-term or seasonal work.
Migratory workers pick apples in Hyun's family orchard from August to October.
collocation: migratory worker / labourer / labour
The town offers free housing for migratory farmhands during the grape harvest.
Yasmin's grandfather lived a migratory life, following construction jobs from city to city.
A new law protects the wages of migratory labourers who travel between farms.
Nikhil interviewed migratory fruit pickers about their long bus journeys across the country.
- settled
having a permanent home and steady job
文法句型
migratory + worker / labour
用法筆記
Subject is human in this sense. Distinguish from sense 1 (animals) and sense 2 (the movement itself). Frequently collocates with 'worker', 'labourer', 'farmhand'.