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

Montana’s governor’s mansion is currently empty and in disrepair, while a governor hasn’t inhabited the official residence in Nebraska in over a decade. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 6 Nov. 2026

Jones, best known for his work on Amazon Prime’s young adult drama Panic, is inhabiting the role of influential but troubled rapper Tupac Shakur. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2026

Mermaids have inhabited world folklore and mythology for centuries. — Jack Daly, The Conversation, 4 Nov. 2026

Of the tens of thousands of species that inhabit the region’s lush and astonishingly biodiverse forests today, a handful dominate Asheville’s vibrant foraging and culinary scene. — Tovar Cerulli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 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