/ ˈdenɪzn; NAmE / noun
( formal or humorous ) a person, an animal or a plant that lives, grows or is often found in a particular place
SYN inhabitant :
polar bears, denizens of the frozen north
the denizens of the local pub
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English deynseyn , via Anglo-Norman French from Old French deinz within (from Latin de from + intus within) + -ein (from Latin -aneus -aneous). The change in the form of the word was due to association with citizen .