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tenant

n. · v.
US //ˈtɛnənt// UK //tˈɛnənt// ten·ant
  1. 1 renter of property (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    a person who pays money to a landlord to live in a house or use an office.

    an individual or entity that occupies land or property rented from a landlord under a lease agreement.

    Example

    The new tenant moved into the apartment on the first of the month.

    Example

    The lease agreement clearly outlines the responsibilities of the tenant regarding maintenance and the timely payment of utilities.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'of' followed by the property name.
  2. 2 software user group (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a customer or group that uses one part of a large software system shared by others.

    a group of users who share a single instance of a software application while keeping their data isolated from other groups.

    Example

    Each tenant in the cloud system has its own secure database.

    Example

    In a multi-tenant architecture, the application serves multiple customers from a single environment while ensuring strict data segregation between each tenant.

    Usage

    Commonly found in the context of 'SaaS' (Software as a Service) and cloud computing.
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  1. 3 feudal land holder (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    someone in history who held land given to them by a lord or king.

    a person who held land under the feudal system in exchange for services or rent to a superior.

    Example

    The king granted the land to his loyal tenant in exchange for military service.

    Example

    Historical records indicate that the tenant-in-chief was responsible for providing knights to the crown during times of conflict.
  2. 4 to occupy as a renter (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to live in or use a property as a renter.

    to hold or occupy property as a tenant; to inhabit a space under a rental agreement.

    Example

    The building has been tenanted by the same family for three generations.

    Example

    The estate was largely tenanted by small-scale farmers who had worked the land since the previous century.

    Usage

    Often used in the passive voice ('is tenanted by').
Etymology 1

From Middle English tenaunt, from Anglo-Norman tenaunt and Old French tenant, present participle of tenir (“to hold”), from Latin tenēre (“hold, keep”).

Etymology 2

Possibly just a modification of tenet, but note obsolete tenent (“tenet”).

Word family

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