occupant

[ ok-yuh-puh nt ]

/ ˈɒk yə pənt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR occupant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person, family, group, or organization that lives in, occupies, or has quarters or space in or on something: the occupant of a taxicab; the occupants of the building.

a tenant of a house, estate, office, etc.; resident.

Law.

an owner through occupancy.
one who is in actual possession.

Nearby words

occultation, occulting light, occultism, occultist, occupancy, occupant, occupation, occupation franchise, occupation groupings, occupation layer, occupational

Origin of occupant

1590–1600; < Middle French occupant, present participle of occuper. See occupy, -ant

Related formsnon·oc·cu·pant, nounpre·oc·cu·pant, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for occupant

Thus far the tomb at Amphipolis has produced artistic wonders, adding to speculation that its occupant(s) held very high rank.
Amphipolis Tomb Yields Amazing Finds But Mysteries Linger|James Romm|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He is a popular former governor and current occupant of the Senate seat that Gillespie seeks to win.
Virginia’s Next Senate Race Just Got Interesting|Ron Christie|January 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Indeed, the cupholders of every occupant in the row in front of me actually had chocolate milk in them.
I Was Way Too Old for Z100’s Jingle Ball Concert. But I Couldn’t Have Had More Fun.|Kevin Fallon|December 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The challenge was to connect with ordinary voters and make them feel comfortable with him as an occupant of the Oval Office.
Romney Plays It Safe|Howard Kurtz|August 31, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Nor had I given much heed to the single other occupant of the car, a thin, bearded man.
Elevator Safety: Suzanne Hart’s Tragic Death Raises Questions|Maura Kelly|December 16, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The only occupant of Number 25 who seemed to be happy that night was Songbird, who came in whistling gaily.
The Rover Boys on a Tour|Arthur M. Winfield
Still it was lofty, and it was wide enough to admit of a certain but limited amount of exercise to its occupant.
In the Days of Chivalry|Evelyn Everett-Green
All these twenty-eight men insisted that I should have a whole bunk to myself—the occupant would shift and go to another fellow.
The Land of the Long Night|Paul du Chaillu
A few minutes later the occupant of the other hammock lifted his head and listened.
"Forward, March"|Kirk Munroe
One bamboo chair had already been vacated by its occupant; in the other, sat a young English lady.
A Bottle in the Smoke|Milne Rae

British Dictionary definitions for occupant

occupant

/ (ˈɒkjʊpənt) /

noun

a person, thing, etc, holding a position or place

law a person who has possession of something, esp an estate, house, etc; tenant

law a person who acquires by occupancy the title to something previously without an owner

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

Word Origin and History for occupant

occupant

1590s, "one who takes possession of something having no owner," from Middle French occupant (15c.) or directly from Latin occupantem (nominative occupans), present participle of occupare "to take possession of" (see occupy). Earlier noun form was ocupier (early 14c.).

occupant

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of occupant

Examples from the Web for occupant

British Dictionary definitions for occupant

occupant

noun

Word Origin and History for occupant

occupant