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View synonyms for

habit

1

[ hab-it ]

noun

  1. an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary:

    the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street.

  2. customary practice or use:

    Daily bathing is an American habit.

    Synonyms: ,

  3. a particular practice, custom, or usage:

    the habit of shaking hands.

  4. a dominant or regular disposition or tendency; prevailing character or quality:

    She has a habit of looking at the bright side of things.

  5. Often the habit. addiction, especially to narcotics.
  6. mental character or disposition:

    a habit of mind.

  7. characteristic bodily or physical condition.
  8. the characteristic form, aspect, mode of growth, etc., of an organism:

    a twining habit.

  9. the characteristic crystalline form of a mineral.
  10. garb of a particular rank, profession, religious order, etc.:

    a monk's habit.

    Synonyms: ,

  11. the attire worn by a rider of a saddle horse.


verb (used with object)

  1. Synonyms: , , ,

habit

2

[ hab-it ]

verb (used with object)

  1. Archaic. to dwell in.

verb (used without object)

  1. Obsolete. to dwell.

habit

/ ˈæɪ /

noun

  1. a tendency or disposition to act in a particular way
  2. established custom, usual practice, etc
  3. psychol a learned behavioural response that has become associated with a particular situation, esp one frequently repeated
  4. mental disposition or attitude

    a good working habit of mind

    1. a practice or substance to which a person is addicted

      drink has become a habit with him

    2. the state of being dependent on something, esp a drug
  5. botany zoology the method of growth, type of existence, behaviour, or general appearance of a plant or animal

    a burrowing habit

    a climbing habit

  6. the customary apparel of a particular occupation, rank, etc, now esp the costume of a nun or monk
  7. Also calledriding habit a woman's riding dress
  8. crystallog short for crystal habit
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to clothe
  2. an archaic word for inhabit habituate
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

habit

  1. The characteristic shape of a crystal, such as the cubic habit that is characteristic of pyrite.
  2. The characteristic manner of growth of a plant. For example, grape plants and ivy display a vining habit.
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Word History and Origins

Origin of habit1

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin habitus “state, style, practice,” equivalent to habi- (variant stem of 󲹲ŧ “to have”) + -tus verbal noun suffix; replacing Middle English abit, from Old French

Origin of habit2

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English habiten from Old French (h)abiter, from Latin 󲹲 “to wear habitually; inhabit; habitat
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Word History and Origins

Origin of habit1

C13: from Latin habitus custom, from 󲹲ŧ to have
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. old habits die hard. old habits die hard.

More idioms and phrases containing habit

see kick a habit .
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Synonym Study

See custom.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Despite public objections to more warehousing, the industry has been growing largely due to a shift in people's spending habits.

From

The report flags India's habit of reaching for criminal law to solve just about everything - even the mundane.

From

Even $1 billion and the complete and total financial freedom to do whatever she wants with her life isn’t enough to deter Rowling’s chronic posting habit.

From

In those days of “enhanced interrogation,” I was already arguing that accepting such lawless behavior could well become an American habit.

From

However, the BBC noted in the same statement that Match of the Day "continually evolves for changing viewing habits".

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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