habit
hab·it / ˈhabit/ • n. 1. a settled or regular tendency or practice, esp. one that is hard to give up: this can develop into a bad habit | we stayed together out of habit. ∎ inf. an addictive practice, esp. one of taking drugs: a cocaine habit. ∎ Psychol. an automatic reaction to a specific situation. ∎ general shape or mode of growth, esp. of a plant or a mineral: a shrub of spreading habit.2. a long, loose garment worn by a member of a religious order or congregation. ∎ short for riding habit. ∎ archaic dress; attire.3. archaic a person's bodily condition or constitution: a victim to a consumptive habit.• v. [tr.] (usu. be habited) archaic dress; clothe: a boy habited as a serving lad.PHRASES: break (or inf. kick) the habit stop engaging in a habitual practice.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French abit, habit, from Latin habitus ‘condition, appearance,’ from habere ‘have, consist of.’ The term originally meant ‘dress, attire,’ later coming to denote physical or mental constitution.
