cohabitation

English

Etymology

From Middle English cohabitacioun, from Old French cohabitacion and Late Latin cohabitātiō. By surface analysis, co- +‎ habitation.

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /koʊhæbɪˈteɪʃən/
  • Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

cohabitation (countable and uncountable, plural cohabitations)

  1. An emotional and physical intimate relationship which includes a common living place and which exists without legal or religious sanction.
    • 1981 August 8, Nancy Wechsler, “Michigan May Register 'Sex Offenders'”, in Gay Community News, page 3:
      According to Greene, sodomy, gross indecency, adultery, cohabitation and repeated convictions for indecent exposure are all considered sex offenses in Michigan.
  2. The act of living together.
  3. A place where two or more individuals reside together.
  4. (biology) The act of two species living together in the same habitat.
  5. (politics) Cooperation between politicians of opposing political parties; especially, in France, between a President and Prime Minister.
    • 2001 July 18, Jon Henly, “French cohabitation hits rocky road”, in The Guardian[1]:
      Commentators agreed that Mr Chirac's unusually aggressive remarks, followed by the equally fierce response of Mr Jospin's government, signalled the beginning of the end for the tense but so far civil "cohabitation" under which the two men have ruled France since 1997.
    • 2024 June 16, Jennifer Rankin, quoting Marine Le Pen, “Macron calling snap elections could leave France in chaos, Sarkozy warns”, in The Guardian[2], →ISSN:
      She said: “I am respectful of institutions; I am not calling for institutional chaos. There will simply be a cohabitation.”

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Translations

French

Etymology

From Old French cohabitacion, from Late Latin cohabitātiō. By surface analysis, co- +‎ habitation.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɔ.a.bi.ta.sjɔ̃/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

cohabitation f (plural cohabitations)

  1. cohabitation (act of living together)
  2. (politics) cohabitation

Descendants

  • Dutch: cohabitatie
  • German: Kohabitation
  • Georgian: კოჰაბიტაცია (ḳohabiṭacia)
  • Polish: kohabitacja

Further reading