occupant

Everyday

1. An occupant is a person who lives in a house or flat, or who is in a room, seat or car at a certain time. tree →
2. An occupant is a person or animal using a place. tree →

In the lessons

In formal letters «To the occupant» means to whoever lives there. In safety notices: «Maximum 8 occupants» in a lift or boat gives a limit. In maths problems, «each car has 4 occupants» helps count people. Everyday speech says «person living there» or «person inside».

Examples

• The house has a new occupant. tree →
• All occupants must leave during the fire alarm. tree →
• The lift holds a maximum of 8 occupants. tree →
• Each car had 3 occupants. tree →
• The bird box's occupant was a blue tit. tree →
• (formal) The letter was addressed «To the occupant». tree →
• Yonder in the canal lay the ships frozen up, and deserted by their whole crews, with a screaming crow for the sole occupant. tree →

Note

Countable; «an occupant». Related: occupy, occupation, occupied. In maths: total people = cars × occupants per car; a «maximum occupants» notice is a limit you must not go over.