habitat
HAB-ih-tat
Habitat (noun) means the natural environment where a plant or animal normally lives. Example: “Frogs need a damp habitat near ponds or streams to survive.”
noun
1
The natural environment where a plant or animal normally lives.
"Frogs need a damp habitat near ponds or streams to survive."
"Deforestation is destroying the orangutan's natural habitat."
"The wetland provides a habitat for dozens of bird species."
How to use habitat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe place or conditions where a living thing naturally exists.
Common pairings
natural habitat
loss of habitat
wildlife habitat
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like habitat.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- habitats
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Frogs need a damp _____ near ponds or streams to survive.
Etymology
From Latin habitat ("it dwells"), originally used by naturalists like Linnaeus in Latin descriptions such as "Habitat in Europa."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “habitat” mean?
The word “habitat” means the natural environment where a plant or animal normally lives. In plain terms, the place or conditions where a living thing naturally exists.
How do you pronounce “habitat”?
“Habitat” is pronounced HAB-ih-tat (/ˈhæb.ɪ.tæt/ in IPA).
How do you use “habitat” in a sentence?
Here is “habitat” used in a sentence: “Deforestation is destroying the orangutan's natural habitat.”
What part of speech is “habitat”?
“Habitat” is a noun.
Where does the word “habitat” come from?
The word “habitat” comes from Latin. From Latin habitat ("it dwells"), originally used by naturalists like Linnaeus in Latin descriptions such as "Habitat in Europa.".
Is “habitat” a common word?
“Habitat” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between a habitat and an ecosystem?
A habitat is the natural environment where a particular plant or animal normally lives, such as a pond or a woodland. An ecosystem is the whole community of living things in an area plus their non-living surroundings, all interacting as a system. One ecosystem can contain many different habitats.
What is the difference between habitat and environment?
Environment is the general word for everything surrounding an organism. A habitat is more specific: the particular natural environment in which a species normally lives and to which it is suited, such as a coral reef for a clownfish.
Can the word habitat be used for humans?
Habitat chiefly describes where plants and animals normally live, and dictionaries define it that way. It is sometimes extended to people, as when planners discuss human habitat, but in everyday English words like home, housing, or environment are more natural for humans.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include habitat:
