Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

inhabitant

American  
[in-hab-i-tuhnt] / ɪnˈhæb ɪ tənt /

noun

  1. a person or animal that inhabits a place, especially as a permanent resident.

    Synonyms:
    denizen, dweller
inhabitant British  
/ ɪnˈhæbɪtənt /

noun

  1. a person or animal that is a permanent resident of a particular place or region

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • inhabitancy noun
  • preinhabitant noun

Etymology

Origin of inhabitant

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin inhabitant- (stem of inhabitāns ) dwelling in. See inhabit, -ant

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.

In this case, a cave filled with the remains of past meals became a shelter for a completely different kind of inhabitant.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The fluffy inhabitant also helps to entice customers.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

The Constitution says that a senator must be an inhabitant of the state they represent “when elected.”

From Slate • Jan. 4, 2025

As Divine Eye, Maclin anchors the fact-based film as a gruff, standoffish inhabitant of the New York maximum-security prison, who finds a surprising calling through theater workshops and live performance.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2024

As it turned out, the doorway already had an inhabitant: a stooped, ancient woman who blended effortlessly into the shadows.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

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.