In the context of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, a “tenant holding over” is

Under section 116 of the Transfer of Property Act, a lessee who remains in possession after the lease ends becomes a tenant holding over only if the lessor accepts rent or otherwise assents to his continuing in possession; so a tenant holding over is an "old lessee who despite termination of lease is allowed by lessor to continue possession". A former tenant who simply stays on without the lessor's assent is a tenant at sufferance, not a tenant holding over, and he is not treated as a trespasser.