habitable

adjective

hab·​it·​able ˈha-bə-tə-bəl How to pronounce habitable (audio)
 also  hə-ˈbi-tə-
: capable of being lived in : suitable for habitation
habitability noun
habitableness noun
habitably
ˈha-bə-tə-blē How to pronounce habitable (audio)
 also  hə-ˈbi-tə-
adverb

Examples of habitable in a Sentence

The house is not habitable. the frigid Arctic is not habitable for amphibians and reptiles—or for humans, either, for that matter
Recent Examples on the Web The star was chosen because of the large number of exoplanets around it that reside in what scientists call the habitable zone where liquid water could potentially pool on the surface of a rocky planet. Eric Lagatta, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024 Star-orbiting exoplanets beyond our solar system have the potential to support life if they are located in the habitable zone. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024 The panels are held in place with specific fasteners and sealed, in part, with the help of the cabin's normal pressurization, which allows planes to be habitable and circulate necessary oxygen so high in the sky. Gisele Lamarre, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2024 In New York City, the rental vacancy rate, which is the share of habitable unoccupied units, has dropped to a record low 1.4%. Anna Bahney, CNN, 19 Feb. 2024 In other words, Venus’ habitable climate could have persisted for billions of years before the planet dried up for good. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2024 The habitable zone is usually calculated based on factors such as the size, temperature and mass of a star as well as the reflectivity of a planet’s surface. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 8 Feb. 2024 For at least two decades, scientists have wondered whether habitable conditions vary among those structures. Rebecca Boyle, Quanta Magazine, 24 Jan. 2024 The presence of ozone and the absence of carbon dioxide could mean a habitable, and even inhabited, planet. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 9 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'habitable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of habitable was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near habitable

Cite this Entry

“Habitable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habitable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

habitable

adjective
hab·​it·​able ˈhab-ət-ə-bəl How to pronounce habitable (audio)
: suitable or fit to live in
a habitable cave
habitability noun

Legal Definition

habitable

adjective
hab·​it·​able ˈha-bi-tə-bəl How to pronounce habitable (audio)
: suitable and fit for a person to live in : free of defects that endanger the health and safety of occupants see also warranty of habitability at warranty
habitability noun
habitableness noun
habitably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on habitable

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