a colony or settlement; community: Each of the scattered habitations consisted of a small number of huts.
Origin: 1325–75; Middle English (h)abitacioun (< Anglo-French ) < Latin habitātiōn- (stem of habitātiō) a dwelling, equivalent to habitāt(us) inhabited (past participle of habitāre;see habitat) + -iōn--ion
late 14c., from O.Fr. habitation "act of dwelling," from L. habitationem (nom. habitatio) "act of dwelling," from habitare (see habitat). Habitable (late 14c.) is from O.Fr. habitable, from L. habitabilis "that is fit to live in," from habitare.