habitant

¹ American  

[hab-i-tuhnt] / ˈhæb ɪ tənt /

noun

1. an inhabitant.

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habitant ² American  

[hab-i-tuhnt, a-bee-tahn] / ˈhæb ɪ tənt, a biˈtɑ̃ /

noun

habitants plural

1. a French settler in Canada or Louisiana, or a descendant of one, especially a farmer.

2. Canadian. a Canadian of French speech and culture, especially one residing in the province of Quebec.

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habitant British  

/ ˈhæbɪtənt /

noun

1. a less common word for inhabitant

2. 1. an early French settler in Canada or Louisiana, esp a small farmer

   2. a descendant of these settlers, esp a farmer

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Etymology

Origin of habitant¹

1480–90; < Latin habitant- (stem of habitāns ), present participle of habitāre to inhabit. See habitat, -ant

Origin of habitant²

1780–90; < French, present participle of habiter < Latin habitāre to inhabit

Example Sentences

France consumes about 2.2 pounds of mustard a year per habitant, making it the world’s largest consumer.

From New York Times • Jul. 14, 2022

In old Quebec Province, the conservative, independent, devoutly Catholic habitant had developed his own culture on his farms.

From Time Magazine Archive

With the door suddenly open to new opportunities, the church-oriented conservative rural habitant rapidly evolved into the secular, outgoing urban Quebecois, with typically North American tastes for big cars, color-television sets and le rock.

From Time Magazine Archive

The habitant women in their dusty-black Sunday clothes still knelt to pray in ancient Chapelle des Augustines.

From Time Magazine Archive

He delighted to speak of her as the habitant of a world of joy.

From Olive Leaves Or, Sketches of Character by Sigourney, L. H. (Lydia Howard)