Synonyms of habitat
1
a
: the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows
b
: the typical place of residence of a person or a group
the arctic habitat of the Inuit
c
: a housing for a controlled physical environment in which people can live under surrounding inhospitable conditions (as under the sea)
2
: the place where something is commonly found
… has its natural habitat in university, in government, or in industrial laboratories.—B. B. Watson

Examples of habitat in a Sentence

a forest in California is set aside to preserve the unique brushy, rugged habitat required by nesting California condors
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The native habitat for eastern box turtles, a subspecies of the common box turtle, includes Maine to Florida and the Great Lakes to Texas. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 To find out which plants are native to your area, call the extension program at your local state university or visit Homegrown National Park, a nonprofit organization with information about creating backyard habitats. — Karen Hugg, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026 But for meantime, Aldabra Atoll offers a rare story of hope, showing a landscape where nature rebounded from near collapse and giant tortoises reclaimed their habitat. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 Encompassing 1,800 acres, the park protects some of the state’s most sensitive—and dazzling—marine habitats, including Shell Key, an undeveloped barrier island. — Kristin Granero, Travel + Leisure, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for habitat

Word History

Etymology

Latin, it inhabits, from habitare

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of habitat was in 1796

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Cite this Entry

“Habitat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habitat. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

: the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows

Medical Definition

1
: the place or environment where a plant or animal naturally occurs
the human pubic region is the natural habitat of the crab louse
2
: a housing for a controlled physical environment in which people can live surrounded by inhospitable conditions (as under the sea)

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