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

All five of the top stocks by relative strength on our list are denizens of the physical economy — oil fields, auto parts, drilling equipment, tractors, package delivery. —Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 23 Feb. 2026

The term mesteño, meaning stray or wild, became, in cowboy-speak, mustang — that legendary, free-roaming denizen of the high plains. —Foreign Correspondent, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026

Consider Aspen, an exploration of the Colorado resort community that sees Wiseman balance his respect for the town’s palatial beauty and the workers tasked with its upkeep with his sly contempt for the wealthy denizens treating the town like their playground. —Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026

Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday centers on the denizens of Wazirabad, a small hamlet in the environs of Kabul, during the civil war of the ’90s following the Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan. —Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 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