inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈha-bət 

inhabited; inhabiting; inhabits

transitive verb

1

: to occupy as a place of settled residence or habitat : live in

inhabit a small house

2

: to be present in or occupy in any manner or form

the human beings who inhabit this tale

—Al Newman

intransitive verb

archaic : to have residence in a place : dwell

inhabitable

in-ˈha-bə-tə-bəl 

adjective

inhabiter noun

Examples of inhabit in a Sentence

Several hundred species of birds inhabit the island.

This part of the country is inhabited by native tribes.

There is a romantic quality that inhabits all her paintings.

The novel is inhabited by a cast of eccentric characters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Its themes and plots were often pitch-dark and inhabited by hypnotists, somnambulists, mediums, spies, the devil himself, serial killers, and crime bosses. —Elle Carroll, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024

She was supposed to inhabit a temple of black granite, its walls engraved with scientific formulas and the names of great English writers. —Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024

This lack of evidence is particularly the case in parts of the Bolivian Amazon once inhabited by the Casarabe people. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024

In March of that year, the start of the Covid-19 pandemic prompted a series of lockdowns that initially prevented workers from inhabiting the space. —Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enhabiten, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French inhabiter, enhabiter, from Latin inhabitare, from in- + habitare to dwell, frequentative of habēre to have — more at give

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈhab-ət 

: to live or dwell in

inhabitable

-ət-ə-bəl 

adjective