Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out," but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile.
In historical context, the word may particularly refer to:
- A French refugee, often aristocratic, who fled the Revolution of 1789 and its aftermath
- A White Russian, who fled the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and its aftermath
Whereas emigrants have likely chosen to leave one place and become immigrants in a different clime, not usually expecting to return, émigrés see exile as a temporary expedient forced on them by political circumstances. Émigré circles often arouse suspicion as breeding-grounds for plots and counter-revolution.
See also: refugee, deportee