digital immigrant: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1semi-formal, journalistic, academic, business
Quick answer
What does “digital immigrant” mean?
A person who was born before the widespread adoption of digital technology and who has had to learn to use it later in life.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person who was born before the widespread adoption of digital technology and who has had to learn to use it later in life.
A member of an older generation who did not grow up with ubiquitous digital devices (computers, smartphones, the internet) and whose cognitive approach to technology differs from that of a 'digital native'. The term implies a degree of cultural and technological acclimatisation, often marked by habits or mindsets carried over from the pre-digital era.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. The term is used identically across both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more common in American business/tech journalism, but fully established in UK discourse.
Frequency
Moderate and stable in both varieties, primarily in contexts discussing technology adoption, generational divides, and workplace culture.
Grammar
How to Use “digital immigrant” in a Sentence
[Person/Group] is/are a digital immigrant.[Person/Group], a digital immigrant, [action].As a digital immigrant, [Person] [action].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “digital immigrant” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He had to digital-immigrant his way through setting up the video call.
- I'm still digital-immigrating to this new operating system.
American English
- She's digital-immigrating into the world of social media.
- We spent the afternoon digital-immigrating our filing system.
adverb
British English
- He navigated the app digital-immigrantly, looking for a 'save' button that wasn't there.
American English
- She emailed me the form, acting digital-immigrantly instead of using the share link.
adjective
British English
- His digital-immigrant tendencies showed when he asked for a printed receipt.
- The team addressed the digital-immigrant learning curve.
American English
- She has a digital-immigrant approach to online security.
- We offer digital-immigrant support sessions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to discuss workplace training needs, generational management styles, and adoption of new enterprise software.
Academic
Used in sociology, media studies, and education research to analyse generational disparities in technology use and cognition.
Everyday
Used humorously or descriptively among friends and family to explain one's own or another's reluctance or awkwardness with new apps or platforms.
Technical
Rare in pure computer science; more common in human-computer interaction (HCI) and socio-technical studies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “digital immigrant”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “digital immigrant”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “digital immigrant”
- Confusing it with 'digital emigrant' (not a standard term).
- Using it as a direct insult rather than a descriptive category.
- Applying it to anyone over a certain age, regardless of their actual proficiency.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not inherently, but like any generational label, its tone depends on context. It can be used self-descriptively with humour or by others in a condescending way. It's best used descriptively, not as a judgment of ability.
There's no fixed age. It's defined by experience, not birth year. Typically, it refers to those who experienced adulthood before the mid-1990s internet/PC revolution. A 50-year-old lifelong programmer is not a digital immigrant, while a 35-year-old who avoided computers until recently might be.
The term was popularized by education consultant Marc Prensky in his 2001 article 'Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,' where he contrasted it with 'digital native.'
No, according to the original metaphor. An immigrant can become highly proficient and fluent in the new 'country' (technology), but their formative experiences and underlying 'accent'—certain ways of thinking—will differ from a native's. The focus is on early-life exposure shaping cognitive patterns.
A person who was born before the widespread adoption of digital technology and who has had to learn to use it later in life.
Digital immigrant is usually semi-formal, journalistic, academic, business in register.
Digital immigrant: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdɪdʒɪtl̩ ˈɪmɪɡrənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdɪdʒɪtl̩ ˈɪməɡrənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He's/She's] printing emails – classic digital immigrant behaviour.”
- “That's a digital immigrant move.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an immigrant arriving in 'Digital Land'. They know the old ways (paper maps, letters) and must consciously learn the new country's language (apps, interfaces), unlike natives born there.
Conceptual Metaphor
TECHNOLOGY IS A COUNTRY. Learning technology is IMMIGRATION. Pre-digital habits are CULTURAL BAGGAGE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most likely characteristic of a 'digital immigrant'?