habitat

Where does the word "habitat" come from? It comes from Latin habitat, and was adopted directly into English (1760s).

Habitat’s story begins in Latin: habitat meant “it dwells.” Literally it dwells, from habitare (to dwell). It reached English by 1760s as habitat. Latin 'it dwells', used in old Latin natural history catalogues. Today, habitat means the natural environment in which an organism normally lives.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient habitat "it dwells", literally it dwells, from habitare (to dwell).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1760s habitat "the natural environment of an organism", Latin 'it dwells', used in old Latin natural history catalogues.