habitat

American  

[hab-i-tat] / ˈhæb ɪˌtæt /

noun

• habitats
  plural

1. 

   the natural environment of an organism; the place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism.

   Orchids have a tropical habitat.

2. the place where a person or thing is usually found.

   Paris is a major habitat of artists.

3. a special environment for living in over an extended period, as an underwater research vessel.

4. habitation.

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habitat British  

/ ˈhæbɪˌtæt /

noun

1. the environment in which an animal or plant normally lives or grows

2. the place in which a person, group, class, etc, is normally found

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habitat Scientific  

/ hăb′ĭ-tăt′ /

1. The area or natural environment in which an organism or population normally lives. A habitat is made up of physical factors such as soil, moisture, range of temperature, and availability of light as well as biotic factors such as the availability of food and the presence of predators. A habitat is not necessarily a geographic area—for a parasitic organism it is the body of its host or even a cell within the host's body.

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habitat Cultural  

1. The area or type of environment in which a particular kind of animal or plant usually lives.

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Synonym Usage

See ecosystem ( def. ).

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• habitats
  plural

Etymology

Origin of habitat

First recorded in 1755–65; from Latin: “it inhabits,” 3rd person singular present indicative of habitāre “to inhabit, dwell, live,” frequentative of habēre “to have, hold”

Explanation

Your habitat is the environment you are accustomed to living in. Zoos usually try to mimic the habitats of the animals they keep, housing bats in a nocturnal house and monkeys in a cage with trees to climb and swing from. The origins of habitat aren't exactly what you would expect. The word goes back to the Latin habitare meaning "to live or dwell," which itself goes back to habere meaning "to have or own." It seems logical that if you own a place, it is your home. Habitat is usually used with animals and plants that live in and are adapted to a specific environment. In nature, orchids and banana plants live in a warm, humid habitat.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

habitat habitats

“Healthy forests also provide critical wildlife habitat and protect scenic quality.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

The site is central to a restoration programme that aims to boost this type of specialist habitat across the county.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

That suggests habitat alone cannot fully explain why Neornithes survived.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

Polluted water and habitat loss are largely blamed for their disappearance.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Every animal has particular habitat needs that must be met.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

By formally identifying species such as L. slashi, scientists can build a clearer picture of New Guinea's biodiversity and better understand which organisms may be at risk as their habitats change.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

Their return would also benefit other species which depend on healthy wetland habitats including herons and birds of prey, they added.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

"The thought that all of these beautiful creatures and habitats could be compromised as superpowers slug it out for supremacy is sobering."

From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026

It is home to the rare broad-leaved cudweed and shrill carder bumblebee and the Essex Wildlife Trust fears "incredibly rare" habitats would be "destroyed".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

The forest clearings made by African farmers also provide ideal breeding habitats for malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• cave
• dwelling
• environment
• haven
• nest
• surroundings
• terrain
• territory