tenant

[ten-uh nt] /ˈtɛn ənt/
noun
1.
a person or group that rents and occupies land, a house, an office, or the like, from another for a period of time; lessee.
2.
Law. a person who holds or possesses for a time lands, tenements, or personalty of another, usually for rent.
3.
an occupant or inhabitant of any place.
verb (used with object)
4.
to hold or occupy as a tenant; dwell in; inhabit.
verb (used without object)
5.
to dwell or live (usually followed by in).
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English tena(u)nt < Anglo-French; Middle French tenant, noun use of present participle of tenir to hold ≪ Latin tenēre. See -ant
Related forms
tenantable, adjective
tenantless, adjective
tenantlike, adjective
nontenant, noun
nontenantable, adjective
untenantable, adjective
untenanted, adjective
Can be confused
tenant, tenet.
Examples from the web for tenant
  • He was said to have never raised the rent or dispossessed a tenant for the inability to pay rent.
  • He had a bed in his old apartment, but only because it had been left behind by the previous tenant.
  • As the landlord, you have to find a quality tenant and take care of the unit.
  • The long-shuttered theater is getting a major tenant.
  • The decision changed the consequences for a tenant when a landlord withholds consent to sublet.
  • tenant's remedies for landlord's unlawful ouster, exclusion or diminution of service.
  • View civil dockets, including landlord-tenant cases, on-line.
  • The security deposit is monies paid by or for the tenant.
  • Enter the actual rent to the nearest dollar, including utilities, paid by the tenant at the time of activity completion.
  • The tenant in chief could not alienate without the license of the king.
British Dictionary definitions for tenant

tenant

/ˈtɛnənt/
noun
1.
a person who holds, occupies, or possesses land or property by any kind of right or title, esp from a landlord under a lease
2.
a person who has the use of a house, flat, etc, subject to the payment of rent
3.
any holder or occupant
verb
4.
(transitive) to hold (land or property) as a tenant
5.
(rare) (intransitive) foll by in. to dwell
Derived Forms
tenantable, adjective
tenantless, adjective
tenant-like, adjective
Word Origin
C14: from Old French, literally: (one who is) holding, from tenir to hold, from Latin tenēre
Word Origin and History for tenant
n.

early 14c., "person who holds lands by title or by lease," from Anglo-French tenaunt (late 13c.), Old French tenant (12c.), noun use of present participle of tenir "to hold," from Latin tenere "hold, keep" (see tenet).