Standard Lemma guide

inhabit

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪnˈhæbɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æbɪt
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N HH AE1 B AH0 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To live or reside in.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The Inuit inhabit the Arctic.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bedwell, abide, belive, dwell, haunt, inhabit, live, occupy, reside, stay

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To be present in.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Strange thoughts inhabit my mind.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: occupy

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

inhabit or live in; be an inhabitant of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • People lived in Africa millions of years ago
  • The people inhabited the islands that are now deserted
  • this kind of fish dwells near the bottom of the ocean
  • deer are populating the woods

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: populate, dwell, live

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: be

Narrower terms: tenant, neighbor, neighbour, occupy, reside, lodge in, shack, domicile, domiciliate, people, overpopulate, cohabit, live together, shack up, lodge, camp, encamp, camp out, bivouac, tent, nest, board, room

4

verb

Meaning 4

be present in

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • sweet memories inhabit this house

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: be

Narrower terms: infest, invade, overrun

5

verb

Meaning 5

exist or be situated within

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Strange notions inhabited her mind

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dwell

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: exist, be

History

Etymology

From Old French enhabiter, from Latin inhabitāre (in + habitāre).

Across languages

Translations

73 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أَقَام (ʔaqām) — to live or reside in some place
  • Arabic: قَطَن (qaṭan) — to live or reside in some place
  • Arabic: سَكَن (sakan) — to live or reside in some place
  • Arabic: سكن (seken) — to live or reside in some place
  • Arabic: سْكن (skən) — to live or reside in some place
  • Atayal: mutuw — to live or reside in some place
  • Bulgarian: живея в (živeja v) — to live or reside in some place
  • Bulgarian: обитавам (obitavam) — to live or reside in some place
  • Burmese: ကျက်စား (kyakca:) — to live or reside in some place
  • Catalan: habitar — to live or reside in some place
  • Czech: obývat — to live or reside in some place
  • Dutch: wonen — to live or reside in some place
  • Esperanto: loĝi — to live or reside in some place
  • Finnish: asuttaa — to live or reside in some place
  • French: habiter — to live or reside in some place
  • Galician: habitar — to live or reside in some place
  • German: bewohnen — to live or reside in some place
  • Gothic: 𐌱𐌰𐌿𐌰𐌽 (bauan) — to live or reside in some place
  • Greek: κατοικώ (katoikó) — to live or reside in some place
  • Greek: ενοικώ (enoikó) — to live or reside in some place
  • Ancient Greek: οἰκέω (oikéō) — to live or reside in some place
  • Ancient Greek: ναίω (naíō) — to live or reside in some place
  • Hindi: वास (vās) — to live or reside in some place
  • Hindi: निवास (nivās) — to live or reside in some place
  • Hungarian: lakik — to live or reside in some place
  • Irish: áitrigh — to live or reside in some place
  • Old Irish: ad·treba — to live or reside in some place
  • Italian: abitare — to live or reside in some place
  • Korean: 거주하다 (geojuhada) — to live or reside in some place
  • Ladino: morar — to live or reside in some place
  • Latin: possideo — to live or reside in some place
  • Latin: habito — to live or reside in some place
  • Latin: incolō — to live or reside in some place
  • Macedonian: живее (živee) — to live or reside in some place
  • Macedonian: престојува (prestojuva) — to live or reside in some place
  • Occitan: abitar — to live or reside in some place
  • Old English: būan — to live or reside in some place
  • Polish: zamieszkiwać — to live or reside in some place
  • Polish: zamieszkać — to live or reside in some place
  • Portuguese: habitar — to live or reside in some place
  • Portuguese: morar — to live or reside in some place
  • Portuguese: viver — to live or reside in some place
  • Russian: населя́ть (naseljátʹ) — to live or reside in some place
  • Russian: жить (žitʹ) — to live or reside in some place
  • Russian: прожива́ть (proživátʹ) — to live or reside in some place
  • Russian: обита́ть (obitátʹ) — to live or reside in some place
  • Sanskrit: क्षेति (kṣeti) — to live or reside in some place
  • Scottish Gaelic: còmhnaich — to live or reside in some place
  • Scottish Gaelic: àitich — to live or reside in some place
  • Lower Sorbian: wobydliś — to live or reside in some place
  • Spanish: habitar — to live or reside in some place
  • Spanish: morar — to live or reside in some place
  • Spanish: vivir — to live or reside in some place
  • Swedish: bebo — to live or reside in some place
  • Swedish: befolka — to live or reside in some place
  • Walloon: dimorer — to live or reside in some place
  • Walloon: dimani — to live or reside in some place
  • Welsh: cyfanheddu — to live or reside in some place
  • Catalan: habitar — to be present in some place
  • Finnish: täyttää — to be present in some place
  • Galician: habitar — to be present in some place
  • Greek: κατοικώ (katoikó) — to be present in some place
  • Italian: abitare — to be present in some place
  • Latin: possideo — to be present in some place
  • Polish: zajmować — to be present in some place
  • Polish: zająć — to be present in some place
  • Polish: wypełniać — to be present in some place
  • Polish: wypełnić — to be present in some place
  • Russian: наполня́ть (napolnjátʹ) — to be present in some place
  • Russian: напо́лнить (napólnitʹ) — to be present in some place
  • Russian: занима́ть (zanimátʹ) — to be present in some place
  • Russian: заня́ть (zanjátʹ) — to be present in some place
  • Swedish: uppta — to be present in some place
Real reading context

inhabit in complete knowledge articles