résident

Résident is a French term used as both a noun and an adjective to denote “one who resides” or “relating to residence.” In general usage, a résident is a person who lives in a particular place—an inhabitant or occupant of a city, neighborhood, building, or institution. The feminine form is résidente, and the plural can be résidents or résidentes in contexts influenced by gendered language; in English-facing texts the accent is often omitted.

In medical contexts, the term appears in French to describe a physician undergoing residency training; in English, the corresponding term is “resident” (without an accent). The concept also figures in immigration and administrative language to indicate someone who has the status of residence in a country, for example a résident permanent (permanent resident) or a résident temporaire (temporary resident). In taxation and social policy, residency status affects rights and obligations, including access to services and certain benefits, and is typically determined by physical presence, domicile, and legal declarations.

Etymology: from Old French resider, from Latin residerēre “to sit down, remain.”

See also: residence, residency, permanent resident, resident alien, tax residency.