ocupant

Ocupant is a term used in several languages to denote a person who occupies a space, building, or location. In Romanian, ocupant is a masculine noun meaning “the one who occupies” and is used for both physical occupation and occupancy in a legal sense. In Catalan, ocupant similarly refers to the person or party currently occupying a dwelling or area, and the word can function as an adjective meaning “occupying.” In English-language contexts, the closely related term occupant typically refers to a person who lives in or uses a property, often contrasted with the owner or landlord.

In property and housing law, the term distinguishes residents from owners and landlords. An occupant can be an owner-occupant, a tenant, or an unauthorised occupant such as a squatter. Rights and duties depend on jurisdiction, including occupancy limits, access for repairs, and eviction procedures. In some legal regimes, occupancy status can affect liability, tax treatment, and insurance.

Etymology traces ocupant to Latin occupare, meaning “to seize, take possession of,” passing through the development of Romance languages into contemporary terms. The core idea is possession or use of a space, whether residential, commercial, or public.

The term is used across administrative, legal, and social contexts to describe who uses a space at a given time and to distinguish roles related to possession and occupancy.