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

The group said the oil refinery, which is expected to take about 30 months to build, will lead to "habitat destruction, marine degradation, oil spill risk and dangerous air pollution".

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

"Destruction and degradation of habitat kills threatened and endangered species just as surely as shooting them."

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

That victory led, four years later, to the Coastal Act and creation of the Coastal Commission, whose job was to balance sensible development, habitat protection and conservation, and equitable public access.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

For the first time in more than half a century, the volunteers have for the past three years encouraged local commoners' association members to graze their cows on the site, to help maintain the habitat.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

They engaged a powerful affinity with their habitat and their food chain.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

A charity has bought a 96-hectare upland area of Gallt-y-bere in the hope of reconnecting two landscapes that are home to rare habitats and wildlife.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Under the new rule, destroying those habitats is no longer illegal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

But conservation groups said the change would open the way to industrial activity that destroys habitats and was at odds with the statute.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

Some has been grown using toxic chemicals that “are harmful to fish and wildlife and the habitats they depend on to survive, and they’re a threat to consumers,” explained the state fish and wildlife director.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

The apartment became a little city with naturally separate habitats, her own private boroughs, and mine.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

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