cohabit

[koh-hab-it]

verb (used without object)

1. to live together as if married, usually without legal or religious sanction.

2. to live together in an intimate relationship.

3. to dwell with another or share the same place, as different species of animals.

cohabit

/ kəʊˈhæbɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to live together as husband and wife, esp without being married

Other Word Forms

• cohabitant noun
• cohabiter noun
• cohabitation noun
• noncohabitation noun
• cohabitee noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cohabit¹

1520–30; < Late Latin cohabitāre, equivalent to co- co- + habitāre to have possession, abide (frequentative of habēre to have, own)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cohabit¹

C16: via Late Latin, from Latin co- together + habitāre to live

Example Sentences

Had I not just cohabited with “Ulysses” for the last month, I no doubt would have spent the intermission reading chapter summaries on my phone to get a deeper understanding of the story.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Data show “nontraditional” families — those made up of single parents, single adults, cohabiting couples and stepfamilies — now outnumber “traditional” nuclear families in the United States.

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He testified that the couple had been married for 20 years and were cohabiting “under the same roof” but were living separate lives then and dating other people.

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Last year, UK law changed to afford cohabiting couples the same right.

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"It almost felt like a pressure to go back into cohabiting after having had my own space. That almost felt like stepping into something new and unknown again."

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