inhabit

Where does the word "inhabit" come from? It comes from Latin habere, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Inhabit’s story begins in Latin: habere meant “to have.” To have, giving rise to habitare (to dwell, frequentative of habere). Within Latin, it grew into inhabitare by ancient. To dwell in, from in- and habitare. It reached English by 1400s as inhabit. Settled as the English word for living in or occupying a place. Today, inhabit means to live in or occupy a particular place.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient habere "to have", to have, giving rise to habitare (to dwell, frequentative of habere).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient inhabitare "to dwell in", to dwell in, from in- and habitare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s inhabit "to live in or occupy a place", settled as the English word for living in or occupying a place.