habit

A2 Topic:Psychology & Behavior

US /ˈhæb.ɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #3357

Meanings

1

noun
Something you do often and almost without thinking.

Biting your nails is a bad habit.
2

noun
Something you do regularly as part of your normal life.

It's become a habit of mine to read before bed.
3

noun
A strong need to keep doing something harmful, such as taking a drug.

He is trying hard to kick the smoking habit.
4

noun
A long, loose piece of clothing worn by monks and nuns.

The nun wore a plain black habit.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · something you do often and... routine wont

2 noun · something you do regularly... habitude ritual routine

Word family

Forms habits

Derived forms habit-forming

Related forms exhibit habitant habitat habitation habitual habituate habitus inhabit inhibit prohibit

Appears in

Phrases (2)

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Idioms (1)

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kick the habit
to stop a persistent behavior, especially an addictive one

Proverbs (2)

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Etymology

From Middle English habit, from Latin habitus (“condition, bearing, state, appearance, dress, attire”), from habeō (“to have, hold, keep”). Distantly related to gift. Replaced Middle English abit, from Old French abit, itself from the same Latin source. Displaced native Old English þēaw, wuna, and ġewuna.

*gʰeh₁bʰ- Proto-Indo-European habit Middle English habitus Latin

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Topics

Psychology & Behavior General Vocabulary

External links

# habit

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhæb.ɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 3357

## Meanings
1. Something you do often and almost without thinking.
2. Something you do regularly as part of your normal life.
3. A strong need to keep doing something harmful, such as taking a drug.
4. A long, loose piece of clothing worn by monks and nuns.

## Examples
- Biting your nails is a bad habit.
- It's become a habit of mine to read before bed.
- He is trying hard to kick the smoking habit.
- The nun wore a plain black habit.

## Derived Forms
- habit-forming

## Related Forms
- exhibit
- habitant
- habitat
- habitation
- habitual
- habituate
- habitus
- inhabit
- inhibit
- prohibit

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gʰeh₁bʰ-
- Root: habit
- Root: habitus

## Etymology
From Middle English habit, from Latin habitus (“condition, bearing, state, appearance, dress, attire”), from habeō (“to have, hold, keep”). Distantly related to gift. Replaced Middle English abit, from Old French abit, itself from the same Latin source. Displaced native Old English þēaw, wuna, and ġewuna.

## AI Etymology
Habit comes from Middle English habit, from Latin habitus (“condition, bearing, state, appearance, dress, attire”), from habeō (“to have, hold, keep”). Distantly related to gift. Replaced Middle English abit, from Old French abit, itself from the same Latin source. Displaced native Old English þēaw, wuna, and ġewuna. The historical line also includes *gʰeh₁bʰ- (Proto-Indo-European). In current use, the main senses are “Something you do often and almost without thinking” and “Something you do regularly as part of your normal life”.

## Topics
- Psychology & Behavior
- General Vocabulary

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habit

Meanings

Thesaurus

Appears in

Phrases (2)

Idioms (1)

Proverbs (2)

Etymology

Topics

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