squatter

American  

[skwot-er] / ˈskwɒt ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that squats.

2. a person who settles on land or occupies property without title, right, or payment of rent.

3. a person who settles on land under government regulation, in order to acquire title.

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squatter British  

/ ˈskwɒtə /

noun

1. a person who occupies property or land to which he has no legal title

2. 1. (formerly) a person who occupied a tract of land, esp pastoral land, as tenant of the Crown

   2. a farmer of sheep or cattle on a large scale

3. (in New Zealand) a 19th-century settler who took up large acreage on a Crown lease

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Other Word Forms

• squatterdom noun

Etymology

Origin of squatter

First recorded in 1775–85; squat + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The corner lot on which the club stands is now surrounded by hundreds of dilapidated and abandoned buildings occupied by squatters.

From The Wall Street Journal

They may have been given more to do than Lockhart — the Netflix series is excellent — but they are still squatters on space that she cleared, and will own forever.

From Los Angeles Times

He said the former library building, which is being repurposed into an Asian Resource Centre, had also had squatters living in it.

From BBC

Do workers need to be on the lookout for squatters?

From Los Angeles Times

He said that he wasn’t aware that the trailers were violating the city’s code and understands residents are worried that the empty trailers might attract squatters.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• settler