habit means an action performed on a regular basis. It carries an Arena rating of 1454, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, habit ranks #511 of 17,123 for Most Malleable Words, #1,022 of 17,113 for Most Elegant Words, #3,873 of 17,130 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #4,830 of 17,137 for Most Exacting Words.
habit is pronounced /ˈhæb.ɪt/.
Why “habit” is a great word
A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. From Middle English habit, from Latin habitus ('condition, bearing, state, appearance, dress'), from habēre ('to have, hold, keep'), with the sense of 'customary practice' attested from the early 14th century. Unlike 'custom,' which binds a community through shared tradition, or 'routine,' which structures the day with deliberate order, habit is a private possession of the self, cellular and almost invisible. It is the unconscious turn of a key in a familiar lock, the particular angle at which you hold your coffee cup, the neural pathway worn smooth as river stone—small acts of repetition that, over time, shape the invisible architecture of a life, like moss thickening on the north side of a stone.
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.
noun
- An action performed on a regular basis.e.g.“It’s become a habit of mine to have a cup of coffee after dinner.”
- An action performed repeatedly and automatically, usually without awareness.e.g.“By force of habit, he dressed for work even though it was holiday.”
- An addiction.e.g.“kick the habit”
- A long piece of clothing worn by monks and nuns.e.g.“It’s interesting how Catholic and Buddhist monks both wear habits.”
- A piece of clothing worn for a specific activity; a uniform.e.g.“The new riding habits of the team looked smashing!”
- Outward appearance; attire; dress.
verb
- To clothe.e.g.“Here I began my shopping, was interviewed by dressmakers, and naturally had much to do to habit myself for civilized life again.”
- To inhabit.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- habitude 72% match — The essential character of one's being or existence; native or normal constitution; mental or moral constitution; bodily condition; native temperament. vs habit →
- habituative 70% match — Related to habitual behavior. vs habit →
- habitus 69% match — Habitude; mode of life; bearing. vs habit →
- custom 68% match — Frequent repetition of the same behavior; way of behavior common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; method of doing, living or behaving. vs habit →
- habituating 60% match — habit-forming vs habit →
- wontedness 60% match — habit; custom vs habit →
- habituate 59% match — To make accustomed; to accustom; to familiarize. vs habit →
- habituee 59% match — One who is habituated to something; a frequent user or visitor. vs habit →