Tenant

n. [Fr. tenant, p. pr. of tenir, Lat. tenere, to hold.] 1. (Law.) One who holds or possesses lands or other real estate by any kind of right, either in fee simple, in common, or in severalty, or for life, for years, or at will; one who has the occupation or temporary possession of lands or tenements, whose title is in another; — correlative to landlord. Blount. Wharton. 2. One who has possession of any place; a dweller; an occupant. “The happy tenant of your shade.” Cowley. “The sister tenants of the middle deep.” Byron. Tenant in capite, or tenant in chief, by the laws of England, 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 styled lord paramount. Such tenants, however, are considered as having the fee of the lands and permanent possession. Blackstone.