resident

1 of 2

adjective

res·​i·​dent ˈre-zə-dənt 

ˈrez-dənt, 

ˈre-zə-ˌdent

1

a

: living in a place for some length of time : residing

b

: serving in a regular or full-time capacity

the resident engineer for a highway department

also : being in residence

—often used humorously to refer to a person in a group with a certain skill, area of knowledge, etc.

He's our resident trivia expert.

2

: present, inherent

energy resident in matter

3

: not migratory

resident species

resident

2 of 2

noun

1

: one who resides in a place

2

: a diplomatic agent residing at a foreign court or seat of government

especially : one exercising authority in a protected state as representative of the protecting power

3

: a physician serving a residency

Synonyms of resident

Noun

• inhabitant
• occupant
• resider

Examples of resident in a Sentence

Adjective

Several tribes are resident in this part of the country.

Noun

a resident of Atlanta

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But the acorn woodpecker is a resident bird that prefers to remain here and has developed a unique process of gathering and storing acorns to sustain the clan until the next crop is produced. —Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026

Guests are able to arrange consults with local amchi—traditional Bhutanese doctors—and resident practitioners will lead mindfulness and breathwork sessions. —Jen Murphy, Outside, 1 Feb. 2026

Noun

Return from Egypt for Gaza residents will only be allowed for those who left Gaza during the course of the war, and only after prior security clearance by Israel. —Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026

Kumar is one of millions of residents in the Indian capital suffering sporadic water shortages due to rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna River that last week forced six of the city’s nine major water plants to shut down. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin resident-, residens, present participle of residēre

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing resident

• co-resident
• minister resident
• resident commissioner

Rhymes for resident

• nonresident

Kids Definition

resident

1 of 2 adjective

res·​i·​dent ˈrez-əd-ənt 

-ə-ˌdent

1

: living in a place for some length of time

2

: working on a regular or full-time basis

a resident physician

3

: not migrating to other areas

resident birds

resident

2 of 2 noun

1

: one who resides in a place

2

: a person (as a physician) serving a residency

Medical Definition

resident

noun

res·​i·​dent ˈrez-əd-ənt, ˈrez-dənt 

: a physician serving a residency

Legal Definition

resident

noun

res·​i·​dent

ˈre-zə-dənt

: one who has a residence in a particular place but does not necessarily have the status of a citizen compare citizen sense 1, domiciliary

resident adjective