- habit
- habit [hab′it]n.[ME < OFr < L habitus, condition, appearance, dress < pp. of habere, to have, hold < IE base * ghabh-, to grasp, take > GIVE]1. Obs. costume; dress2. a particular costume showing rank, status, etc.; specif.,a) a distinctive religious costume [a monk's habit]b) a costume worn for certain occasions [a riding habit]3. habitual or characteristic condition of mind or body; disposition4.a) a thing done often and hence, usually, done easily; practice; customb) a pattern of action that is acquired and has become so automatic that it is difficult to break5. a tendency to perform a certain action or behave in a certain way; usual way of doing6. an addiction, esp. to narcotics7. Biol. the tendency of a plant or animal to grow in a certain way; characteristic growth [a twining habit]vt.1. to dress; clothe2. Archaic to inhabitSYN.- HABIT refers to an act repeated so often by an individual that it has become automatic with him [his habit of tugging at his ear in perplexity ]; PRACTICE also implies the regular repetition of an act but does not suggest that it is automatic [the practice of reading in bed ]; CUSTOM applies to any act or procedure carried on by tradition and often enforced by social disapproval of any violation [the custom of dressing for dinner ]; USAGE refers to custom or practice that has become sanctioned through being long established [usage is the only authority in language ]; WONT is a literary or somewhat archaic equivalent for PRACTICE [it was his wont to rise early ]
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.