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

About 3,800-4,400 independent lions inhabit the state, while Colorado’s bobcat population is about 21,000, per agency estimates. —Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024

Mountain lions, one of the larger cats native to Texas, are known to inhabit remote areas, but sightings are possible across the state. —Tom Howarth follow, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

The film tells the story of multiple generations of families who inhabit the same home over the course of a century, with Hanks and Wright once again portraying a couple. —Lauren Huff, EW.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Nicholas and Meryl are getting closer, literally, as a conversation about how near the Assassin needs to be in order to inhabit somebody else quickly turns into a smooch. —James Grebey, Vulture, 31 Oct. 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