denizen

noun

den·​i·​zen ˈde-nə-zən 

1

: inhabitant

denizens of the forest

2

government : a person admitted to residence in a foreign country

especially : an alien (see alien entry 2 sense 1b) admitted to rights of citizenship

3

: one that frequents a place

nightclub denizens

Synonyms

• familiar
• frequenter
• habitué
• habitue
• haunter
• rat
• regular

Examples of denizen in a Sentence

one of those muscle-bound denizens of the gym

the polar bear is an iconic denizen of the snowy Arctic

Recent Examples on the Web

For the Silicon Valley denizens, well-known for their obsession with life-extending interventions, the blend of bleeding-edge science and the opportunity to discover the next unicorn was irresistible. —Grace Huckins, Robb Report, 20 Jan. 2025

There are longtime denizens who have lived in the Palisades for decades, having bought low years ago in a gem of a place that was more coastal than Beverly Hills and less rustic than nearby Malibu or Topanga Canyon. —Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025

Jordan is believably in the mix with the other denizens of the restaurant. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2025

As the smoke began to clear after two days of intense fire, Pacific Palisades appeared more like a moonscape of destruction than an upscale neighborhood known for its ocean views, beautiful vistas and celebrity denizens. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English denizeine, from Anglo-French denisein, denzein inhabitant, inner part, inner, from denz within, from Late Latin deintus, from Latin de- + intus within — more at ent-

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

denizen

noun

den·​i·​zen ˈden-ə-zən 

: inhabitant

especially : a person, animal, or plant found in a particular region or environment