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

This wonderful, hardy, and disease-resistant tree gradually develops into a beautiful understory thicket, providing habitat for wildlife. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 21 Jan. 2026

While dragon’s blood continues to be harvested for commercial and medicinal use, several Dracaena species are now considered vulnerable due to overexploitation and habitat loss. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

There are about 20 hamster species found in a variety of habitats, from deserts and plains to dunes and agricultural fields across Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. —Noel Kirkpatrick, Treehugger, 20 Jan. 2026

Threats like habitat loss, fragmentation and exposure to rodenticide poisons present an existential crisis for our wild neighbors. —Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 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)