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

It was inhabited by Count Lemmo Rossi Scotti, who spent his days painting and tending to the garden. —Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025

Today, although grizzlies appear on California’s flag and seal, none inhabit the state’s woodlands. —Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2025

Huston could recognize the ways of that brood: her own renowned and eccentric family inhabited that domestic world of privilege, power, infidelity, and intrigue that became Christie’s writerly milieu. —Erik Morse, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025

The Nicobar pigeon also inhabits a more rugged and less accessible environment, which has helped shield it from human activity to some extent. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for inhabit

• cohabit
• jackrabbit
• abbot
• habit
• rabbit
• sabot
• shabbat

Kids Definition

inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈhab-ət 

: to live or dwell in

inhabitable

-ət-ə-bəl 

adjective