denizen
Americannoun
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an inhabitant; resident.
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a person who regularly frequents a place; habitué.
the denizens of a local bar.
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anything adapted to a new place, condition, etc., such as an animal or plant not indigenous to a place but successfully naturalized.
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British Law. an alien admitted to residence and to certain rights of citizenship in a country: this legal designation has been obsolete since the first half of the 20th century.
verb (used with object)
noun
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an inhabitant; occupant; resident
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an individual permanently resident in a foreign country where he enjoys certain rights of citizenship
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a plant or animal established in a place to which it is not native
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a naturalized foreign word
verb
Other Word Forms
- denization noun
- denizenation noun
- denizenship noun
- undenizened adjective
Etymology
Origin of denizen
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English denesyn, denisein, from Anglo-French denzein, denszein “(the) one within,” from deinz, dens, denz “inside, on the inside” (from Old French dedens, dedenz; dedans ) + -ein, adjective suffix (from Latin -āneus; -an, -eous ( def. ) )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, a former Wall Street denizen, was a force behind the agreement.
From Barron's
Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, a former Wall Street denizen, was a force behind the agreement.
From Barron's
Its denizens are mostly nameless, speaking only when spoken to—props in the psychological drama of four young protagonists.
Another denizen of Miami’s canals, the huge snake was easily twelve feet long, with a spotted green-and-brown body as thick as Natalie’s leg.
From Literature
For statehouse denizens in Concord, the question of pay turns on competing views about the makeup of the legislative body and the virtues of volunteer lawmakers.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
