Other forms: pilgrims
A pilgrim is someone travelling to a holy place. Pilgrims to Mecca, a pilgrim's badge, the pilgrim road.
The journey is the point rather than the arrival, which is why walking routes like the Camino still draw people with no religion at all. The Latin behind it means a foreigner — a pilgrim is by definition away from home. Peregrine, the falcon, is the same word.
1nounpilgrimSomeone travelling to a holy place.
“Every year, thousands of pilgrims walk to the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela.”
pilgrim is a traveller.
Latin peregrinus means a foreigner, from per plus ager, land — one who is abroad. The peregrine falcon is the same word.
Latin
peregrīnus — foreigner
Old French
pelegrin
Old English
pilegrī̆m
Middle English
pilegrim
English, today
pilgrim
Middle English pilegrim, from Old English pilegrī̆m, from Old French pelegrin, from Latin peregrīnus (“foreigner”). a doublet of peregrine. The change of /r…r/ to /l…r/ is an effect of in early Romance; compare Italian pellegrino.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA