Origin: 1325–75; < Latin inhabitāre, equivalent to in-in-2 + habitāre to dwell (see habit2); replacing Middle English enhabiten < Middle French enhabiter < Latin as above
late 14c., from O.Fr. enhabiter "dwell in" (12c.), from L. inhabitare, from in- "in" + habitare "to dwell," frequentative of habere "hold, have" (see habit). Inhabitant first recorded mid-15c. Inhabitable was used in two opposite senses: "not habitable" (c.1400, from in- "not"