Word
inhabitant
Phoneticsin·hab·i·tant, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪnˈhæbətənt/
UK/ɪnhˈæbɪtənt/
Definitions
01a resident
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a person or animal that lives in a particular place.
n. a person or animal that inhabits a specified place; a permanent or long-term resident.
“The local inhabitants were not happy about the new road being built through the forest.”
“The island's original inhabitants developed a unique culture that remained largely untouched by outside influences for centuries.”
Usage
Usually followed by the preposition 'of' when specifying the location.
Pitfall
The city has many inhabitants people.
The city has many inhabitants.
Inhabitant is a noun that means 'resident people'. You do not need to add the word 'people' after it.
02computing/logic
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a specific value that belongs to a certain category or type.
n. An element or value that belongs to a specific type in type theory or logic.
“In this programming language, the number five is an inhabitant of the integer type.”
“The researcher proved that the type was non-empty by constructing a specific inhabitant using a recursive function.”
Usage
Used primarily in formal logic and computer science contexts.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “inhabitant” in context.
Verb
01. outnumber the inhabitants
“In the summer months, the tourists completely outnumber the inhabitants of the small coastal town.”
verb + noun
02. protect the inhabitants
“New laws were passed to protect the inhabitants from rising pollution levels in the area.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. local inhabitants
“The local inhabitants were very welcoming to the tourists who visited the village.”
adj + noun
04. original inhabitants
“The museum displays artifacts belonging to the original inhabitants of the island.”
adj + noun
05. rural inhabitants
“Rural inhabitants often have limited access to public transportation compared to city dwellers.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. number of inhabitants
“The total number of inhabitants has decreased significantly over the last decade.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“Because of her childhood and her past, Marissa experiences the approach of Sandy differently from other inhabitants of the city.” “The evidence suggests that the site's inhabitants were not carefully selecting specific tree species for fuel.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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