tenant

Legal Definition of tenant

Noun

1. A person to whom a landlord grants temporary and exclusive use of land or a part of a building, usually in exchange for rent. The contract for this type of legal arrangement is called a lease. The word "tenant" originated under the feudal system, referring to land "owners" who held their land on tenure granted by a lord.

Related terms

• landlord
• tenancy
• lease
• lessee
• eviction

Definition of tenant

Etymology

First attested 1325, from Anglo-Norman tenaunt, from Old French tenant, present participle of tenir (“to hold”), from Latin ten�"re, present active infinitive of teneō (“hold, keep”).

Pronunciation

• (Canada, UK) IPA: /ˈtɛ.nənt/
• enPR: tĕnənt

Noun

tenant (plural tenants)

1. One who pays a fee (rent) in return for the use of land, buildings, or other property owned by others.
2. An occupant.
3. (law) One who holds a property by any kind of right, including ownership.

Synonyms

• lessee

Verb

tenant (third-person singular simple present tenants, present participle tenanting, simple past and past participle tenanted)

1. To hold as, or be, a tenant.