inveterate

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪnˈvɛtərət/ UK /ɪnˈvɛtərət/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
having a long-established and unlikely-to-change habit

He was an inveterate gambler who could not resist a wager.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · having a long-established... habitual confirmed chronic ingrainedentrenchedhardeneddyed-in-the-wool

Opposites

occasional sporadic

Word family

Forms inveterately

Derived forms inveteratelyinveteracy

Related forms veteran

Etymology

From Latin inveteratus, past participle of inveterare 'to make old, render long-established', from in- 'in' plus vetus (stem veter-) 'old'.

inveterare Latin vetus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# inveterate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ɪnˈvɛtərət
**IPA (UK):** ɪnˈvɛtərət

## Meanings
1. having a long-established and unlikely-to-change habit

## Examples
- He was an inveterate gambler who could not resist a wager.

## Synonyms
- habitual
- confirmed
- chronic
- ingrained
- entrenched
- hardened
- dyed-in-the-wool

## Antonyms
- occasional
- sporadic

## Derived Forms
- inveterately
- inveteracy

## Related Forms
- veteran

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: inveterare
- Root: vetus

## Etymology
From Latin inveteratus, past participle of inveterare 'to make old, render long-established', from in- 'in' plus vetus (stem veter-) 'old'.

## AI Etymology
Inveterate comes from Latin inveteratus, past participle of inveterare 'to make old, render long-established', from in- 'in' plus vetus (stem veter-) 'old'. The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective, it carries the sense "having a long-established and unlikely-to-change habit", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin inveterare and Latin vetus. Derivative forms include inveterately, inveteracy; related words include veteran.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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inveterate

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