cohabitation

Etymology

From Middle English cohabitacioun, from Old French cohabitacion and Late Latin cohabitātiōnem.

noun

1. An emotional and physical intimate relationship which includes a common living place and which exists without legal or religious sanction.
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.
   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. 18 Jul 2001, Jon Henly, The Guardian