TENANT

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from present participle of tenir to hold Date: 14th century 1. one who holds or possesses real estate or sometimes personal property (as a security) by any kind of right, one who has the occupation or temporary possession of lands or tenements of another, occupant , dweller, ~less adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1634 to hold or occupy as or as if as a ~ ; inhabit , ~able adjective