ENGLISH
REFERENCE

inhabitant

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ɪnˈhæbətənt// UK //ɪnhˈæbɪtənt// in·hab·i·tant General-service

n. a person or animal that lives in a specific place. You use this word when talking about the people who stay in a city, country, or building.

n. a person or animal that occupies a place as a permanent or long-term resident.


SIMPLE

The city has over one million inhabitants.

CONTEXTUAL

Local government officials are working to improve the quality of life for every inhabitant of the district.

COMPLEX

The island's original inhabitants developed a unique agricultural system that allowed them to thrive despite the limited freshwater resources available in the volcanic soil.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English inhabitantes (n. plural) and inhabitaunt (adj.), from Old French inhabitant, from Latin inhabitāns, present participle of inhabitō (“to inhabit”), from in- (“in”) + habitō (“to dwell”) (frequentative of habeō (“to hold”), from Proto-Indo-European *ghabh- (“to seize, take, hold, have”). By surface analysis, inhabit + -ant.

Usage

Commonly followed by the preposition 'of' to specify the location.

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