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. 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. tenantable adj. tenantless adj.
[ ME f. OF, pres. part. of tenir hold f. L tenere ]