TEN'ANT, noun [Latin teneo; Gr. to strain, stretch, extend.]

1. A person holding land or other real estate under another, either by grant, lease or at will; one who has the occupation or temporary possession of lands or tenements whose title is in another; as a tenant in tail; tenant in common; tenant by the curtesy; tenant in parcenary; tenant for life; tenant at will; tenant in dower.

2. One who has possession of any place; a dweller.

The happy tenant of your shade.

Tenant in capite, or tenant in chief, by the laws of England, is one who holds immediately of the king. According to the feudal system, all lands in England are considered as held immediately or mediately of the king, who is stiled lord paramount. Such tenants however are considered as having the fee of the lands and permanent possession.

TEN'ANT, verb transitive To hold or possess as a tenant

Sir Roger's estate is tenanted by persons who have served him or his ancestors.