-ī(ə)r, -īə noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from occupien to occupy + -er
: one that occupies a place
the region is not burdened with unpalatable space occupiers — W.S.Hopkins
as
a. Britain : one who holds possession of property as owner or tenant
the hovels which still exist under the name of cottages almost always belong to the occupiers themselves — G.E.Fussell
the present occupiers of the … mansion do not follow the generous custom of the owners in admitting the public — Elizabeth Montizambert
b. : a member of a foreign military force occupying a country or part of a country