habitat

noun

hab·​i·​tat ˈha-bə-ˌtat 

1

a

: the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows

b

: the typical place of residence of a person or a group

the arctic habitat of the Inuit

c

: a housing for a controlled physical environment in which people can live under surrounding inhospitable conditions (as under the sea)

2

: the place where something is commonly found

… has its natural habitat in university, in government, or in industrial laboratories.

—B. B. Watson

Synonyms of habitat

• home
• territory
• range

Examples of habitat in a Sentence

a forest in California is set aside to preserve the unique brushy, rugged habitat required by nesting California condors

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, experts suggest allocating portions of the lawn as a dedicated pollinator habitat suitable for nesting. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026

And while progress has been made, the species is still classified as near threatened, and The Wilds says threats like habitat loss and poaching underscore the importance of continuing conservation work. —Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026

Giant pandas are naturally solitary and prefer to live alone, so Bao Li and Qing Bao occupy separate but neighboring habitats. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026

Sightings in the wild are increasingly uncommon, which makes protective measures and habitat conservation all the more urgent. —Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin, it inhabits, from habitare

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for habitat

• acrobat
• autocrat
• automat
• bundesrat
• bureaucrat
• butterfat
• caveat
• chemostat
• copycat
• cryostat
• democrat
• diplomat

Kids Definition

habitat

noun

hab·​i·​tat ˈhab-ə-ˌtat 

: the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows

Medical Definition

habitat

noun

hab·​i·​tat ˈhab-ə-ˌtat 

1

: the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally occurs

the human pubic region is the natural habitat of the crab louse

2

: a housing for a controlled physical environment in which people can live surrounded by inhospitable conditions (as under the sea)