Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
verb (used with object)
- to live or dwell in (a place), as people or animals: Small animals inhabited the woods.
- to exist or be situated within; dwell in: Weird notions inhabit his mind.
verb (used without object)
- Archaic. to live or dwell, as in a place.
verb -its, -iting or -ited
- (tr) to live or dwell in; occupy
- (intr) archaic to abide or dwell
a word used in two opposite senses: “not habitable” (late 14c., from in- (1) “not” + habitable) and “capable of being inhabited” (c.1600, from inhabit + -able).
late 14c., from Old French enhabiter “dwell in” (12c.), from Latin inhabitare “to dwell in,” from in- “in” (see in- (2)) + habitare “to dwell,” frequentative of habere “hold, have” (see habit). Related: Inhabited; inhabiting.