Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PIL'GRIM, n. [G. pilger; Fr. pelerin; It. pellegrino; Sp. and Port. peregrino; It. peregrinus. Qu. L. peragro, to wander. In W. pererin is a pilgrim, and pellynig is wandering, far-roaming, from pellau, to remove far, coinciding with the L. palor. The Corn. pirgrin and Arm. pirchirin, seem to be the L. peregrinus. The D. palsrok, a pilgrim's coat, and palsterstok, a pilgrim's staff, indicate that the first syllable is from the root of L. palor, to wander. The uncertainty of the true original orthography renders the derivation uncertain.]

1. A wanderer; a traveler; particularly, one that travels to a distance from his own country to visit a holy place, or to pay his devotion to the remains of dead saints. [See Pilgrimage.]
2. In Scripture, one that has only a temporary residence on earth. – Heb. xi.