habitation

noun

hab·​i·​ta·​tion ˌha-bə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of inhabiting : occupancy

not fit for human habitation

2

: a dwelling place

3

: settlement, colony

Synonyms

• occupancy
• occupation
• possession
• residency

Examples of habitation in a Sentence

The house was not fit for human habitation.

a wilderness area with few habitations

Recent Examples on the Web

Homelessness has been on the rise over the past couple of years, particularly unsheltered homelessness, meaning people sleeping outside or in places not meant for human habitation. —Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2024

More pieces of Gateway will follow, including a habitation module led by Japan, a refueling and communications element from ESA, an airlock from the United Arab Emirates, and a robotic arm from Canada. —Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 11 Apr. 2024

Long-term lunar habitation could be a different story. —Devika Rao, theweek, 12 Feb. 2024

Companies such as United Launch Alliance and Lockheed Martin are designing infrastructure for lunar habitation. —Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English habitacioun, from Anglo-French habitaciun, from Latin habitation-, habitatio, from habitare to inhabit, frequentative of habēre

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

habitation

noun

hab·​i·​ta·​tion ˌhab-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of inhabiting : occupancy

2

: a dwelling place : residence

Legal Definition

habitation

noun

hab·​i·​ta·​tion ˌha-bə-ˈtā-shən 

1

a

: the act of occupying or inhabiting

b

in the civil law of Louisiana : the right of a person to dwell in the house of another

2

: a dwelling place