cohabitation

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.
   • According to Greene, sodomy, gross indecency, adultery, cohabitation and repeated convictions for indecent exposure are all considered sex offenses in Michigan.1981 August 8, Nancy Wechsler, “Michigan May Register 'Sex Offenders'”, in Gay Community News, page 3
2. The act of living together.
3. A place where two or more individuals reside together.
4. The act of two species living together in the same habitat.
5. Cooperation between politicians of opposing political parties; especially, in France, between a President and Prime Minister.
   • 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 1997.2001 July 18, Jon Henly, “French cohabitation hits rocky road”, in The Guardian
   • She said: “I am respectful of institutions; I am not calling for institutional chaos. There will simply be a cohabitation.”2024 June 16, Jennifer Rankin, quoting Marine Le Pen, “Macron calling snap elections could leave France in chaos, Sarkozy warns”, in The Guardian, →ISSN