WordGarden.iohabitation
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /hˌæbɪtˈeɪʃən/
US
- /ˌhæbəˈteɪʃən/
Meanings
Noun
the act or state of living in a place
a place where someone lives; a dwelling
Beyond the definition
Habitation is more than just where someone lives; it can mean both the place itself and the fact of living there. Think of early explorers charting new lands, not just noting the geography but also looking for places where people could settle and build lives. The word suggests more than temporary shelter. It points to a lasting presence and some connection to a place. A bird's nest can be a habitation, and so can a remote village or even a city, though these are very different in scale.
The word carries a slightly formal or literary feel. You will often find it in historical writing, older legal phrases, or stories that describe settlements and homes in a grander way. One famous literary use appears in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with the phrase "a local habitation and a name."
Habitation refers both to the act of living in a place and to the place lived in. It is more formal than words like "home" or "house," and it often suggests occupation, settlement, and a degree of permanence. While "home" usually feels personal and everyday, "habitation" often sounds broader, more descriptive, or more official.
Historically, the word appeared often in legal, religious, and historical contexts. People wrote about establishing habitations in new territories, meaning homes or settlements where life could take root. In religious writing, it can also mean a place where a divine or spiritual presence is believed to dwell.
Today, you are most likely to meet the word in formal phrases such as "fit for human habitation," which means safe and suitable for people to live in. It can also be used for the homes of animals or for places where groups of people live, especially in careful or descriptive writing. The word does not usually refer only to a building. It can also point to the broader idea of settled life: shelter, safety, and a place where living continues over time.
Examples
- 1
Remote places
There was no sign of human habitation for miles.
- Phraseno sign of human habitation
no houses or people living there
- 2
Housing safety
After the fire, the apartment was declared unfit for habitation.
- Phraseunfit for habitation
not safe or suitable to live in
- 3
Archaeology
Archaeologists found evidence of habitation near the river from thousands of years ago.
- 4
Climate limits
The desert climate makes permanent habitation difficult in that region.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- human habitation
- fit for habitation
- unfit for habitation
- signs of habitation
Word family
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Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- habitationnoun
Forms
- habitationspluralnoun