English Reference
Noun

occupant

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈɑkjəpənt/ UK /ˈɒkjʊpənt/ oc·cu·pant UK spelling occupant's, occupant's

n.a person who lives in a house or room, or someone who is inside a vehicle at a particular time.

n.a person who resides in or uses a specific space, such as a building, room, or vehicle.


SIMPLE

The police asked the occupant of the car to step out.

CONTEXTUAL

The new apartment building is ready, but the first occupant will not move in until next month.

COMPLEX

Emergency services must account for every occupant of the office block during a fire drill to ensure that the evacuation protocols are functioning effectively.

Usage

Often used in formal or official contexts, such as legal documents, insurance forms, or news reports.

The force said the occupants of the second vehicle involved, three women, two in their 30s and one in her 20s, and a boy, all remained in hospital with serious injuries.

The Guardian· 16 Aug 2026

The BBC has made efforts to contact the owners and occupants but has received no response.

BBC News· 15 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Middle French occupant (present participle of occuper) or Latin occupāns, occupantis (present participle of occupō). By surface analysis, occupy + -ant.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin occupāns
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated