habitat

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noun hab·i·tat \ ˈha-bə-ˌtat \

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

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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

Aside from development, the Creek District Specific Plan calls for a large habitat preserve on the creek's floodplain.

— teri figueroa, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Marcos rethinking downtown development plan," 29 Aug. 2017
The review raised alarm among conservationists who said protections could be lost for areas that are home to ancient cliff dwellings, towering sequoia trees, deep canyons and ocean habitats.

— matthew brown and brady mccombs, chicagotribune.com, "Zinke says 27 national monuments under review won't be eliminated, but could be changed," 24 Aug. 2017
Fisherman take their boats, usually in places on the Pacific ocean like Alaska or New Zealand, and head out to catch these fish in their natural habitat.

— alex delany, Bon Appetit, "What's the Difference Between Wild-Caught and Farm-Raised Salmon?," 22 Aug. 2017
Sadly, loss of habitat, the spread of invasives and chemical pollutants are wiping out these essential creatures.

— martha stewart, star-telegram, "Gardener learns to work with Mother Nature, instead of against her," 12 Aug. 2017
The program will allow participants to observe the wide variety of these fascinating creatures and search for insect habitats and gently capture a few arthropods to study and then release.

— Daily Southtown, "Community news: Volunteers honored for work with older residents," 9 Aug. 2017
Roads break up habitats and block migration routes, but as our species continues to expand, some researchers are asking which is better for wildlife: more traffic on fewer roads or less traffic on more roads? 20.

— gemma tarlach, Discover Magazine, "20 Things You Didn't Know About ... Traffic," 7 Aug. 2017
During the summer of 2015, the biology department at the College of Idaho, led by Chris Walser, conducted a study of the streambed and the redband habitat.

— joe carberry, idahostatesman, "Dry Creek trail provides unique experience for hikers, bikers — and fish," 31 July 2017
A new Hobart Parks Department program is helping to beautify city parks while providing food and habitat for natural pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds.

— karen caffarini, Post-Tribune, "'Adopting' parks puts blooms in Hobart," 21 July 2017

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.