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Synonyms

inhabitable

1 American  
[in-hab-i-tuh-buhl] / ɪnˈhæb ɪ tə bəl /

adjective

  1. able or fit to be lived in.

    Through years of neglect and eventual disrepair, the larger portion of the city has utterly collapsed and is no longer inhabitable.
inhabitable 2 American  
[in-hab-i-tuh-buhl] / ɪnˈhæb ɪ tə bəl /

adjective

  1. unfit to live in; uninhabitable.

    People need to evacuate immediately, as rapidly dropping temperatures will make the whole area inhabitable by sundown.

Other Word Forms

  • inhabitability noun
  • noninhabitability noun
  • noninhabitable adjective
  • uninhabitability noun
  • uninhabitable adjective

Etymology

Origin of inhabitable1

First recorded in 1400–50; inhabit ( def. ) + -able ( def. )

Origin of inhabitable2

First recorded in 1580–90; from French, from Latin inhabitābilis, from in- in- 3 ( def. ) + habitābilis habitable ( def. )

Explanation

Something inhabitable can be safely and comfortably lived in. After a major fire or a flood, it can take some time to make a house inhabitable again. The earth is inhabitable, but Mars is not. Your house is inhabitable, but your mom's pickup truck isn't really inhabitable. If you can inhabit, or live in a place, it's inhabitable, from the Latin inhabitare, "dwell in." An earlier definition of inhabitable meant completely the opposite: "not able to be lived in," from the roots in-, "not," and habitable, "fit to live in."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing inhabitable

Content Summary G.4: Human Adaptations to the Physical Environment

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Vocabulary from Readings 1, Unit 1

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5.4: The Second Industrial Revolution (Sources 1–8)

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The ADU was heavily damaged and was “red tagged,” meaning the building is inhabitable.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2024

The Canarias Se Agota movement believes the numbers of tourists are excessive, making the islands less inhabitable for locals, impacting the environment and pushing up housing costs.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2024

Mass evacuations following the October attack have, for now, sharply reduced its inhabitable footprint.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 26, 2024

Meier added that he would prefer the term "less inhabitable" rather than "uninhabitable," since humans could adapt to some of the changes they experience.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2023

This route kept us clear from start to finish of inhabited, or inhabitable, country.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.