habitation

noun

hab·​i·​ta·​tion ˌha-bə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of inhabiting : occupancy

not fit for human habitation

2

: a dwelling place

3

: settlement, colony

Synonyms of habitation

• occupancy
• occupation

Examples of habitation in a Sentence

The house was not fit for human habitation.

a wilderness area with few habitations

Recent Examples on the Web

Release the groundhog 10 to 20 miles away from human habitation. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026

There is no equivalent in English, which has no word for a place that encompasses both human and nonhuman habitation. —María Carri, Artforum, 16 Apr. 2026

The next era of space habitation will not be built with small thinking, Miyan said. —Leonard David, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2026

Instead, SkyDream is attempting to co-design mobility, energy storage, and habitation as a single architecture. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English habitacioun, from Anglo-French habitaciun, from Latin habitation-, habitatio, from habitare to inhabit, frequentative of habēre

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for habitation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

habitation

noun

hab·​i·​ta·​tion ˌhab-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of inhabiting : occupancy

2

: a dwelling place : residence

Legal Definition

habitation

noun

hab·​i·​ta·​tion ˌha-bə-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: the act of occupying or inhabiting

b

in the civil law of Louisiana : the right of a person to dwell in the house of another

2

: a dwelling place