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

Mexican long-nosed bats are migrating farther north than ever, expanding into Arizona and New Mexico as drought depletes agave supplies in their traditional habitat. —Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026

Their populations are threatened by habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and poaching, the World Wildlife Fund, one of the world's leading conservation organizations, stated on its website. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026

Catalina Island conservationists are moving forward with an extensive plan to preserve the island's native habitat after the state recently approved the lethal shooting of the invasive mule deer on the island. —Julie Sharp, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026

Navarro puts a lot of thought into habitat design to replicate the animal’s natural environment and keep them safe. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 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)