inquiline, n. (a.) rare.
(ˈɪnkwɪlaɪn)
[ad. L. inquilīnus an indweller in a place not his own, a sojourner, lodger, f. in- (in-2) + colĕre to dwell. Cf. F. inquilin (Cotgr. 1611).]
1. A sojourner, a lodger, an indweller.
| a 1641 Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. (1642) 436 Clemens..and Origen, being both natives or inquilines of Alexandria. 1914 C. Mackenzie Sinister St. II. iv. iv. 926 Half the inquilines of a night and even some of the less transient lodgers ultimately escaped owing her money. |
2. Zool. An animal which lives in the nest or abode of another; a commensal or guest.
| 1879 F. H. Butler in Encycl. Brit. X. 46/1 Besides the larva of the gall-maker, or the householder, galls usually contain inquilines or lodgers, the larvæ of what are termed guest-flies or cuckoo-flies. 1882 Athenæum 1 July 19/1 Numerous inquilines of other orders of insects (chiefly beetles) found in ants' nests, which the ants..never molest, but even take great care of. 1884 Stand. Nat. Hist. II. 510 There are several genera of gall-flies which..are known as guest gall-flies or inquilines. |
3. attrib. or as adj.
| 1716 M. Davies Athen. Brit. II. To Rdr. 36 So sung the Inquilin-Muse of Bemerton, Mr. Norris. 1958 Times Lit. Suppl. 30 May 299/2 The inquiline figures painted so vigorously by Sir Osbert come to life with extraordinary clarity. |
Hence inquiˈlinous a. Zool., living in the nest or abode of another.
| 1879 F. H. Butler in Encycl. Brit. X. 46/1 Some saw⁓flies are inquilinous in the galls of gall-ants. |