resident

resident — noun

1. a person who has settled in a particular town, district, or block for a lasting

1.nounB1
Definition

a person who has settled in a particular town, district, or block for a lasting period

Example

Yumi has been a resident of this neighbourhood since she was a child.

Christopher reported the broken streetlight to the residents' association.

collocation: residents' association

Common collocations
  • local resident
  • permanent resident
  • fellow resident
  • resident of
Synonyms
  • inhabitant

    more formal, often used for populations of towns or regions rather than buildings

  • occupant

    focuses on someone currently using a space, not necessarily living there permanently

  • tenant

    pays rent for a property; narrower than 'resident'

Antonyms
  • visitor

    stays temporarily, not a permanent dweller

  • non-resident

    formal term for someone who does not live in the specified place

Grammar Patterns

resident + of + place

Common Mistakes

She is a residence of this city.
She is a resident of this city.
'residence' is the building or place where someone lives, not the person themselves.
The residents of the hotel were mostly tourists.' (when meaning hotel guests)
The guests of the hotel were mostly tourists.
'resident' usually implies a longer stay than a hotel guest.

2. a doctor who has completed medical school and now treats patients at a teaching

2.nounB2
Definition

a doctor who has completed medical school and now treats patients at a teaching hospital while finishing a specialised training programme

Example

Nikhil worked as a resident at the city's main teaching hospital.

collocation: work as a resident

The senior surgeon taught Marta and two other residents how to stitch a wound.

Common collocations
  • medical resident
  • surgical resident
  • first-year resident
  • resident physician
Synonyms
  • intern

    specifically a first-year resident in the US; narrower scope

  • house officer

    UK equivalent term for a junior hospital doctor

  • trainee doctor

    broader term covering any doctor still in training

Antonyms
  • attending physician

    senior doctor who supervises residents and has full independent practice rights

Grammar Patterns

work as a resident

Usage Note

In the US medical system, a resident has already earned a medical degree and is completing a multi-year specialty training programme called a residency. This term is not used in the same way in the UK, where 'junior doctor' or 'registrar' is more common.

Common Mistakes

The resident saw patients without supervision on her first day.
The resident saw patients under the supervision of an attending physician.
Residents are trainees; they do not practise independently.
My sister is a residence in the paediatrics ward.
My sister is a resident in the paediatrics ward.
'Residence' is a place, not a person.

resident — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe someone who lives in a place, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Resident' (B1) is the most versatile everyday word — it works for a person in a city, neighbourhood, or building. 'Inhabitant' (B2) is more formal and is usually used for larger populations such as towns, countries, or regions; you would say 'the inhabitants of the island' but not 'the inhabitants of apartment 3B'. 'Occupant' (B2) focuses on current use of a space — it could be someone living in a house or just sitting in a car. 'Tenant' (B2) adds a legal dimension: a tenant pays rent under a lease agreement. 'Dweller' (B2) is commonly part of compound nouns like 'city dweller' or 'cave dweller' and sounds slightly more literary or descriptive. For everyday use, choose 'resident' when no special legal or formal nuance is needed: 'The residents of Maple Street held a block party.'

resident ↗inhabitant ↗occupanttenant ↗dweller

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • become a resident
  • local resident
  • permanent resident
  • resident of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'resident' comes from Latin 'residēns', the present participle of 'residēre', which means 'to remain behind' or 'to sit back'. The Latin root breaks down into 're-' (back) and 'sedēre' (to sit). It entered English through Old French in the 14th century, first as a term for a person living in a place, later expanding to include the medical training sense in the 19th century when junior doctors began living at hospitals.