denizen English · revision 1573

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdɛn.ɪ.zən/ ''(UK)''; /ˈdɛn ə zən/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|denisein]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|xno|deinzein|t=one within]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''deinz'' “within, inside”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from [[la-lat|dēintus|t=from within]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from Latin ''dē'' “from” and ''intus'' “within”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) with a suffix from Latin ''-ānus''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A citizen or legally established inhabitant of a city or country, as opposed to a foreigner (early 15th century; 1419 in Barnhart).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A ''deinzein'' was one inside the privileges of a city, as opposed to a ''forein'', one outside them.^(Etymonline) By 1467 the word was restricted to a foreigner admitted to residence and certain rights of citizenship,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) a British legal category that lasted into the 19th century.^(Wiktionary) Meanwhile, from 1474, it meant any inhabitant, person, animal or plant,^(OED 1989) and in natural history a plant or animal naturalized in a region.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) The sense of someone who frequents a place, as the denizens of a bar, is now common.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1419 – first recorded, as ''densyn''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1467 – an alien admitted to residence and rights.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1474 – any inhabitant.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1483 – adjective, having rights of a denizen.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1577 – verb, to naturalize.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1578 – a naturalized word, plant or animal.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[inhabitant]] or resident.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who often visits a particular place; a [[habitué]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An animal or plant [[naturalize|alt=naturalized]] in a region.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(British, historical)'' A foreigner granted the right of residence and some rights of [[citizenship]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make someone a denizen; to grant rights of residence.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[denizenation]]

+ * [[denization]]

+ * [[denizenship]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[citizen]]

+ * [[foreign]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}