denizen

noun

den·​i·​zen ˈde-nə-zən 

plural denizens

1

: inhabitant

denizens of the forest

2

government : a person allowed residence in a foreign country

3

: someone who frequents a place

nightclub denizens

—often used figuratively

… daylilies, purple loosestrife, and other roadside denizens now firmly rooted in Maine …

—Rebecca Sawyer-Fay

Synonyms of denizen

• lover
• fan
• familiar
• patron
• rat
• habitué
• guest
• frequenter

Examples of denizen in a Sentence

one of those muscle-bound denizens of the gym

the polar bear is an iconic denizen of the snowy Arctic

Recent Examples on the Web

But the swamp’s most famous denizen — the creature that visitors most want to see — is the American alligator. — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026

The wealthiest denizens often hire landscape designers, who precisely source the trees, flowers, and shrubs to plant for one’s wildest aesthetic desires. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 July 2026

However, there were the other denizens of bohemia who, like Harrington, sought to create goods of value beyond their market measure. — Michael Bernick, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Outflanked by cruel and fickle gods at every turn, legendary Greek hero Odysseus outsmarted a one-eyed giant, suffered through the bewitching Sirens’ song and braved the Underworld’s dead denizens. — Alex Pulaski, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English denizeine, from Anglo-French denisein, denzein inhabitant, inner part, inner, from denz within, from Late Latin deintus, from Latin de- + intus within — more at ent-

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

denizen

noun

den·​i·​zen ˈden-ə-zən 

: inhabitant

especially : a person, animal, or plant found in a particular region or environment