occupant
/ˈɒkjʊp(ə)nt
/noun
1A person who resides or is present in a house, vehicle, seat, etc., at a given time: the previous occupant of her room figurative occupants of the moral high ground...
- Another factor of cardinal importance in protecting building occupants is debris mitigation.
- Several ships tracked the pod, fearing that its sole occupant was escaping.
- Mr Melvin was the sole occupant of the car, and no other vehicles were involved.
Synonyms
resident, inhabitant, owner, householder, tenant, renter, leaseholder, lessee, lodger, boarder, inmate, user;
addressee;
incumbent, holder;
British occupier, owner-occupier;
North American roomer
formal dweller
humorous denizen
rare indweller
1.1The holder of a position or office: the first occupant of the Chair of Botany...
- The main concern of the Australian Republican Movement has always been with the Office of Governor-General rather than any one occupant of the position.
- One newspaper said yesterday that they were proof that he is ‘one of the most reactionary occupants of his office in modern times’.
- Over the years, Larry's show has become a favorite forum for would-be occupants of the Oval Office.
1.2 Law A person in actual possession of property, especially land.The Government should demonstrate its commitment to property rights by evicting illegal occupants....
- The goal is to have a safe, functional, and reliable system to protect the occupants and property.
- Marcus contended that municipal services were linked to the property rather than the occupant.
1.3 Law A person who establishes a title by taking possession of something that previously did not have an established owner.
Origin
Late 16th century (in the legal sense 'person who establishes a title'): from French, or from Latin occupant- 'seizing', from the verb occupare.