n. & v.
--n.
1. a person who rents land or property from a landlord.
2 (often foll. by of) the occupant of a place.
3 Law a person holding real property by private ownership.
--v.tr. occupy as a tenant.
Phrases and idioms:
tenant farmer a person who farms rented land. tenant right Brit. the right of a tenant to continue a tenancy at the termination of the lease.
Derivatives:
tenantable adj. tenantless adj.
Etymology: ME f. OF, pres. part. of tenir hold f. L tenere