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

And in a bizarre flash of insight this Windy City denizen created one of the great warm weather whiskey drinks of our time. — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 20 June 2026

Today, the Kalshi denizens have raised that number just two points, to 54%. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 20 June 2026

The result was a jaw-dropping tour through the upcoming sci-fi RPG's storytelling, dialogue, combat tactics, weaponry, stealth modes, companions, and diverse denizens of this astonishingly rich universe. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 June 2026

Each denizen Robin stops to ask for help claims no knowledge of the major—and responds with disdain or worse. — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 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