inhabit

1 of 2

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈha-bət 

inhabited; inhabiting; inhabits

transitive verb

1

: to occupy as a place of settled residence or habitat : live in

inhabit a small house

2

: to be present in or occupy in any manner or form

… the human beings who inhabit this tale …

—Al Newman

intransitive verb

archaic : to have residence in a place : dwell

inhabitable

in-ˈha-bə-tə-bəl 

adjective

inhabiter noun

inhabiter

2 of 2

noun

in·​hab·​it·​er

ə̇nˈhabə̇tə(r), 

-ə̇tə-

plural -s

archaic

: one that inhabits

Examples of inhabit in a Sentence

Verb

Several hundred species of birds inhabit the island.

This part of the country is inhabited by native tribes.

There is a romantic quality that inhabits all her paintings.

The novel is inhabited by a cast of eccentric characters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

After settling in, hike to the nearby Havtsgait Valley, where Bronze Age petroglyphs offer a glimpse into the lives of people who inhabited this landscape thousands of years ago. — Undraa Buyannemekh, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026

No one ever gets stuck inhabiting any of their fun characters, and that’s a real shame. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 22 July 2026

Hellraiser introduced audiences to the mythology of the Lament Configuration puzzle box, the home to a dimensional portal inhabited by the ritualistically torturous beings, the Cenobites, and their leader, the iconic Pinhead. — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026

To inhabit the facts of another writer’s life without invention requires the most detailed primary research, not only in literary archives but in almanacs, old newsprint, civic records. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English enhabiten, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French inhabiter, enhabiter, from Latin inhabitare, from in- + habitare to dwell, frequentative of habēre to have — more at give

Noun

Middle English enhabiter, inhabiter, from enhabiten, inhabiten to inhabit + -er

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for inhabit

• cohabit
• jackrabbit
• abbot
• habit
• rabbit
• sabot
• shabbat

Kids Definition

inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈhab-ət 

: to live or dwell in

inhabitable

-ət-ə-bəl 

adjective