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

Gascón inhabits both roles so convincingly that many have assumed they’re played by two different actors. —Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2025

Unless your club inhabits the murky world of desperation. —George Caulkin, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025

With Carl Weber and Nikaya D. Brown Jones as executive producers and Trey Haley directing, The Family Business: New Orleans promises high-stakes drama, intense family dynamics, and a city as colorful as the characters who inhabit it. —Okla Jones, Essence, 7 Jan. 2025

This growing presence in marine habitats that sharks inhabit naturally increases the likelihood of encounters with... well, sharks. —Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 7 Jan. 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

Kids Definition

inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈhab-ət 

: to live or dwell in

inhabitable

-ət-ə-bəl 

adjective