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

The 400-year span starts with the Lenape footpath and works its way up to today, when one of the last Bowery artists, Billy Sullivan, has painted the denizens as part of a massive installation of portraits. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026

Lawrence has spent plenty of time with students on Michigan State's sprawling campus, but he's also become a staple at meetings of residents — often farmers or other rural denizens — fighting data center proposals. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

There’s a certain wavelength of hangdog humor that denizens of the former Soviet Republics seem able to tune into at will, and Georgian director Levan Koguashvili more than most. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026

Both Japan and Ethiopia have approximately 130 million denizens, but their dermatologist count is more than 7,000 and around 200, respectively. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 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