habit

Where does the word "habit" come from? It comes from Latin habere, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1200s).

Habit’s story begins in Latin: habere meant “to have, to hold.” The root of 'exhibit', 'inhibit' and 'prohibit'. Within Latin, it grew into habitus by ancient. Condition, appearance, way of being, from habere. From there it passed into Old French as habit by medieval. Carried into French for a customary manner of behaving, or clothing. It reached English by 1200s as habit. Settled as the English word for a settled or regular tendency or practice. Today, habit means a settled or regular tendency or practice, often hard to give up.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient habere "to have, to hold", the root of 'exhibit', 'inhibit' and 'prohibit'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient habitus "condition, appearance, way of being", condition, appearance, way of being, from habere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval habit "a customary manner of behaving, or clothing", carried into French for a customary manner of behaving, or clothing.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1200s habit "a settled or regular tendency or practice", settled as the English word for a settled or regular tendency or practice.