1. people who travel to a sacred place for religious reasons
2. the English colonists who founded Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620
Usage: historical; capitalized when referring to the specific group
3. people who journey to a place of personal significance or make a meaningful trip
Usage: figurative use

Examples

• Thousands of pilgrims visit Mecca each year during the Hajj.
• The pilgrims walked hundreds of miles to reach the holy shrine.
• The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving with the Native Americans.
• Many Pilgrims died during their first harsh winter in Plymouth.
• Literary pilgrims often visit the homes of famous authors.
• The museum attracts pilgrims of jazz music from around the world.
• Medieval pilgrims would travel for months to reach Canterbury Cathedral.