habitation

habitation — noun

1. The state of occupying a building or area and living there as your home.

1.名詞C1
釋義

The state of occupying a building or area and living there as your home.

例句

The abandoned school showed no signs of habitation for over thirty years.

collocation: signs of habitation

Before human habitation is allowed, a building must pass a fire safety inspection.

collocation: human habitation

同義詞
  • occupancy

    More technical/legal; focuses on the right or act of occupying a space rather than living in it as a home.

  • residence

    Less formal; commonly used for the act of living somewhere, especially for official records (e.g., 'place of residence').

反義詞
  • vacancy

    The state of being empty or unoccupied.

文法句型

no article in general use

often preceded by 'for' or 'of'

用法筆記

Used in formal, legal, or official contexts. Frequently appears in phrases like 'fit for habitation', 'unfit for habitation', and 'signs of habitation'.

常見錯誤

❌The house is not fit for human habitation.
✅The house is unfit for human habitation.
💡The standard legal expression uses 'unfit for human habitation' rather than 'not fit for human habitation', though both are grammatically correct.

2. An official classification for a living space that is very dirty, damaged, or da

2.名詞C1
釋義

An official classification for a living space that is very dirty, damaged, or dangerous, meaning the law forbids people from living in it.

例句

The health inspector ruled that the basement apartment was unfit for human habitation because of the mold.

fixed phrase: unfit for human habitation

Landlords who rent out houses unfit for habitation can face heavy fines in court.

同義詞
  • uninhabitable

    Adjective form with the same meaning; more common in general writing ('The house was declared uninhabitable').

反義詞
  • habitable

    Describes a home that is safe and clean enough to live in.

文法句型

almost always in the phrase 'unfit for human habitation'

用法筆記

Almost always used within the fixed expression 'unfit for human habitation'. Typically appears in legal documents, housing regulations, and news reports about poor living conditions.

3. A house, flat, or other structure used as a place to live.

3.名詞B2
釋義

A house, flat, or other structure used as a place to live.

例句

The archaeology team uncovered ancient human habitations carved into the red cliffside.

collocation: ancient human habitations

Esteban's family found affordable habitation in a small town near the capital.

同義詞
  • dwelling

    Equally formal but slightly more common; 'dwelling' is preferred in legal and insurance contexts.

  • residence

    Often implies a larger or more formal home; used on official forms ('place of residence').

  • home

    Everyday word with emotional meaning; 'habitation' lacks this personal feeling.

文法句型

can be used with 'a/an' or in plural form

用法筆記

More formal than 'home' or 'house'. Commonly used in official surveys, archaeological reports, and formal descriptions of housing. The plural 'habitations' refers to multiple dwellings in an area.

常見錯誤

❌I went back to my habitation after work.
✅I went back to my home after work.
💡'Habitation' sounds unnatural for everyday speech; use 'home' or 'house' for casual conversation.