resident

1 of 2

adjective

res·​i·​dent ˈre-zə-dənt How to pronounce resident (audio)
ˈrez-dənt, 
ˈre-zə-ˌdent
Synonyms of resident
1
a
: living in a place for some length of time : residing
b
: serving in a regular or full-time capacity
the resident engineer for a highway department
also : being in residence
—often used humorously to refer to a person in a group with a certain skill, area of knowledge, etc.
He's our resident trivia expert.
2
: present, inherent
energy resident in matter
3
: not migratory
resident species

resident

2 of 2

noun

1
: one who resides in a place
2
: a diplomatic agent residing at a foreign court or seat of government
especially : one exercising authority in a protected state as representative of the protecting power
3
: a physician serving a residency

Synonyms of resident

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of resident in a Sentence

Adjective Several tribes are resident in this part of the country. Noun a resident of Atlanta
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.
Adjective
Merkley is the Senate’s resident rules expert and has literally written the book on Senate gridlock. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026 The island’s permanent Art House invites guests—of all ages—to get creative on canvas or pottery with the guidance of its resident artist. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
Over 420,000 Florida residents were without power, leading the group of states with the highest number of affected customers. — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026 McDowell County residents near rivers and creeks and in low-lying areas should relocate as soon as possible, county emergency management officials said late Saturday morning. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for resident

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin resident-, residens, present participle of residēre

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of resident was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing resident

Rhymes for resident

See All Rhymes for resident

Browse Nearby Words

residency
resident
resident buyer
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

resident

1 of 2 adjective
res·​i·​dent ˈrez-əd-ənt How to pronounce resident (audio)
-ə-ˌdent
1
: living in a place for some length of time
2
: working on a regular or full-time basis
a resident physician
3
: not migrating to other areas
resident birds

resident

2 of 2 noun
1
: one who resides in a place
2
: a person (as a physician) serving a residency

Medical Definition

resident

noun
res·​i·​dent ˈrez-əd-ənt, ˈrez-dənt How to pronounce resident (audio)
: a physician serving a residency

Legal Definition

resident

noun
res·​i·​dent
ˈre-zə-dənt
: one who has a residence in a particular place but does not necessarily have the status of a citizen compare citizen sense 1, domiciliary
resident adjective
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