Squatter

n. (-tẽr)

1. One who squats; specifically, one who settles unlawfully upon land without a title. In the United States and Australia the term is sometimes applied also to a person who settles lawfully upon government land under legal permission and restrictions, before acquiring title.

In such a tract, squatters and trespassers were tolerated to an extent now unknown.

Macaulay.

2. (Zoöl.) See Squat snipe, under Squat.

Squatter sovereignty, the right claimed by the squatters, or actual residents, of a Territory of the United States to make their own laws. [Local, U.S.] Bartlett.

---

Origin: 1788

In 1788, while he was encouraging ratification of a Constitution that would "establish Justice" and "insure domestic Tranquility," future president James Madison took time to complain about those who set up households and farms without proper authorization: "Many of them and their constituents are only squatters upon other people's land, and they are afraid of being brought to account." To say the least, squatter was an undignified word, chosen presumably to express disapproval of the practice.

But such was life on the uncivilized frontier, and such was often the way the frontier became settled and civilized. "This settling on land which belongs to another person, and clearing and cultivating it without leave, is called Squatting," explained a writer in 1824.

And not everyone objected. "It is the fashion to speak slightly of these Pioneers, Squatters, Crackers, or whatever name it pleases them most to be called by," wrote a traveler in 1829, "but I must own that I was well satisfied with almost every one of them whom I encountered."

The fierce independence of the squatters led in the late 1840s to the notion of squatter sovereignty, by which settlers in a territory would be entitled to make their own laws. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 applied squatter sovereignty to those two states in the matter of slavery, resulting in six years of battles in "bleeding Kansas," a prelude to the Civil War.

Nowadays, with the frontier gone, squatters are more likely to be found in abandoned urban buildings than in the country, but they remain part of the American landscape.

---

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

An individual who settles on the land of another person without any legal authority to do so, or without acquiring a legal title.

In the past, the term squatter specifically applied to an individual who settled on public land. Currently it is used interchangeably with intruder and trespasser.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - nybygger, besætter, boligaktivist, australsk fåreavler

Français (French)
n. - squatter, (Austral) éleveur de moutons ou de bétail, (US, Austral) personne qui occupe une terre sans titre juridique

Deutsch (German)
n. - Hausbesetzer, Landbesetzer

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - καταληψίας (ακατοίκητων χώρων κ.λπ.), οικοπεδοφάγος

Italiano (Italian)
occupante abusivo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - intruso (m)

Русский (Russian)
поселенец на незанятой или государственной земле, богатый скотовод, лицо, самовольно захватывающее чужую землю, квартиронаниматель, отказывающийся выезжать, мчаться, разбрызгивая воду, грязь, шлепать (по воде)

Español (Spanish)
n. - ocupante ilegal

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - person som sitter på huk, husockupant, nybyggare, stor fårägare

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
蹲著的人, 住违章建筑的人

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 蹲著的人, 住違章建築的人

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 웅크리는 사람, 무단 거주자, 대목축농장 경영자

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - しゃがむ人, 無断居住者

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פולש, תופס קרקע, מתנחל‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.