habitat

noun hab·i·tat \ ˈha-bə-ˌtat \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Definition of habitat

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

See habitat defined for English-language learners

See habitat defined for kids

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 of habitat from the Web

Last year, the Chagos Conservation Trust announced that rats had been exterminated from Ile Vache Marine, an important bird habitat.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Coral Reefs Need Fewer Rats and More Bird Poo," 12 July 2018
Yankeetown has used the designation to protect natural habitats that can provide a measure of protection from rising tides.

— amy green, miamiherald, "With Gov. Scott and legislature in denial, tiny town adapts on its own to climate change," 11 July 2018
Mittermeier, the chief conservation officer of the Global Conservation Fund, has discovered 18 new species and preserved millions of acres of habitat around the globe.

— sarah bowman, Indianapolis Star, "Indiana Jones honored by Indianapolis Zoo: Harrison Ford wins award for wildlife conservation," 10 July 2018
Under the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies, as well as private development companies which require federal permits, are prohibited from adversely modifying critical habitat.

— story hinckley, The Christian Science Monitor, "Group effort rules the roost in Wyoming, then Washington intervenes," 10 July 2018
Because natural habitats are disappearing, more and more coyotes are being sighted in urban settings.

— cheryl conley, Houston Chronicle, "The top dog: Coyotes are interesting canines," 10 July 2018
The 835-acre property includes alpine meadows, wetlands and riparian areas (ecologically rich riverside habitats) along two miles of streams and a small pond.

— jordan cutler-tietjen, sacbee, "Rare mammals, hiking and more: Forest Service adds 835 acres to Eldorado National Forest," 9 July 2018
Foster + Partners first unveiled designs for a lunar habitat module in 2012, in partnership with the European Space Agency.

— NBC News, "Here's what future Mars and lunar space colonies could look like," 7 July 2018
San Antonio requires developers to rely on warbler habitat studies that are less than 3 years old.

— john tedesco, San Antonio Express-News, "Northwest Side residents vent after acres of trees bulldozed in environmentally sensitive area," 6 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'habitat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of habitat

Latin, it inhabits, from habitare

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1796

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

habitat Synonyms

Synonyms

home, niche, range, territory;

Other Ecology Terms

Malthusian, anthropogenic, biomass, carbon footprint, crepuscular, niche, sere, symbiosis, taiga, tundra

HABITAT Defined for English Language Learners

habitat

noun

Definition of habitat for English Language Learners

: the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows

HABITAT Defined for Kids

habitat

noun hab·i·tat \ ˈha-bə-ˌtat \

Definition of habitat for Students

: the place where a plant or animal grows or lives in nature

Medical Dictionary

habitat

noun hab·i·tat \ ˈhab-ə-ˌtat \

medical Definition of habitat

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)

Learn More about habitat

See words that rhyme with habitat Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for habitat Spanish Central: Translation of habitat Nglish: Translation of habitat for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of habitat for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about habitat

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habitat

Definition of habitat

Examples of habitat in a Sentence

Recent Examples of habitat from the Web

Origin and Etymology of habitat

habitat Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Ecology Terms

HABITAT Defined for English Language Learners

habitat

Definition of habitat for English Language Learners

HABITAT Defined for Kids

habitat

Definition of habitat for Students

Medical Dictionary

habitat

medical Definition of habitat

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