Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
TENANT
I. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from present participle of tenir to hold
Date: 14th century
1. one who holds or possesses real estate or sometimes personal property (as a security) by any kind of right, one who has the occupation or temporary possession of lands or tenements of another, occupant , dweller, tenantless adjective
II. transitive verb
Date: 1634
to hold or occupy as or as if as a tenant ; inhabit , tenantable adjective