occupancy

noun

oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈä-kyə-pən(t)-sē 

plural occupancies

1

: the fact or condition of holding, possessing, or residing in or on something

occupancy of the estate

2

: the act or fact of taking or having possession (as of unowned land) to acquire ownership

3

: the fact or condition of being occupied

occupancy by more than 400 persons is unlawful

4

: the use to which a property is put

industrial occupancy

5

: a building or part of a building intended to be occupied (as by a tenant)

Synonyms

• habitation
• occupation
• possession
• residency

Examples of occupancy in a Sentence

The sign above the auditorium door says, “Maximum occupancy: 500 persons.”

the landlord notified us of the need to cease occupancy in three months, when our apartment building would be sold

Recent Examples on the Web

In the first year, the train car had 90% occupancy and $14,179 in revenue. —Celia Fernandez,mickey Todiwala, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024

County Executive Bob Cassilly vetoed legislation that aimed to allocate 25% of the county’s hotel occupancy tax to the local tourism non-profit, Visit Harford. —Matt Hubbard, Baltimore Sun, 4 Dec. 2024

Wingstop Wingstop plans to open a new location at 1844 S. 15th St., according to a Milwaukee occupancy permit application. —Jessica Rodriguez, Journal Sentinel, 29 Nov. 2024

Consider Shared Occupancy Agreements Consider utilizing shared occupancy agreements where multiple businesses co-lease the same commercial space, sharing both the costs and risks. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

occup(ant) + -ancy

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing occupancy

• double occupancy
• maximum occupancy

Kids Definition

occupancy

noun

oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈäk-yə-pən-sē 

plural occupancies

1

: the act or condition of occupying or taking possession

takes occupancy on the first of the month

2

: the state of being occupied

an occupancy limit of 5 persons

Legal Definition

occupancy

noun

oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈä-kyə-pən-sē 

plural occupancies

1

: the fact or condition of holding, possessing, or residing in or on something

occupancy of the premises

2

: the act or fact of taking or having possession (as of abandoned property) to acquire ownership

3

: the fact or condition of being occupied

occupancy by more than 400 persons is unlawful

4

: the use to which a property is put

designed for industrial occupancy