denizen
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English denisein, from Anglo-Norman denzein, from deinz (“within”), from Late Latin deintus (“from within”) (French dedans).
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
denizen (plural denizens)
- An inhabitant of a place; one who dwells in.
- The giant squid is one of many denizens of the deep.
- 1912: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 6
- The cries of the gorilla proclaimed that it was in mortal combat with some other denizen of the fierce wood. Suddenly these cries ceased, and the silence of death reigned throughout the jungle.
- One who frequents a place.
- The denizens of that pub are of the roughest sort.
- (UK, obsolete) A person with rights between those of naturalized citizen and resident alien (roughly permanent resident), obtained through letters patent.
- 1765, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book 1, Chapter X, p. 374
- A denizen is a kind of middle state, between an alien and a natural-born subject, and partakes of both.
- Though born in Iceland, he became a denizen of Britain after leaving Oxford.
- 1765, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, Book 1, Chapter X, p. 374
- (biology) Used to describe the range or habitat of an animal or plant.
- The bald eagle is a denizen of the northern part of the state.
Usage notes [edit]
As a British legal category, used between 13th and 19th century (mentioned but not used in 20th century), obsoleted by naturalisation – see denization.
Synonyms [edit]
- (inhabitant of a place): inhabitant, native, resident
- (one who frequents a place): regular
Derived terms [edit]
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
an inhabitant of a place; one who dwells in
one who frequents a place
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(UK) a citizen naturalized through letters patent
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local flora and fauna
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Verb [edit]
denizen (third-person singular simple present denizens, present participle denizening, simple past and past participle denizened)
- (transitive, UK) To grant rights of citizenship to; to naturalize.
- He was denizened to Ireland after fleeing his home country.
- Dryden
- As soon as denizened, they domineer.
- (transitive) To provide with denizens; to populate with adopted or naturalized occupants.
- J. D. Hooker
- There were a few islets in the sand […] and these were at once denizened by various weeds.
- J. D. Hooker
