inveterate
/ɪnˈvɛtəɹɪt/ adjective, verb
Forms inveterates inveterating inveterated
- adjective Firmly established from having been around for a long time; of long standing. “an inveterate disease”
- adjective (of a person) Having had a habit (usually a bad habit) for a long time. “an inveterate idler; an inveterate gambler; an inveterate smoker”
- adjective Malignant; virulent; spiteful.
- verb (obsolete) To fix and settle after a long time; to entrench.
Synonyms
long-standing deep-rooted ingrained ineradicable indelible radicated chronic permanent hardened dyed-in-the-wool bred-in-the-bone deep-seated chronically
Antonyms
transient temporary momentary fleeting impermanent shifting acute novel casual sometime occasional dilettante
Etymology
The adjective is first attested in 1528, the verb in 1574; borrowed from Latin inveterātus (“of long standing, chronic”), perfect passive participle of inveterō and participial adjective (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from in- (“in, into”) + veterō (“to age”), from vetus, veteris (“old”). Cognate with Italian inveterato, French invétéré. By surface analysis, in- (“not, opposite”) + veterate.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Old; long-established. [Obs.]
- adjective Firmly established by long continuance; obstinate; deep-rooted; of long standing; as, an inveterate disease; an inveterate abuse.
- verb To fix and settle by long continuance. [Obs.] Bacon.
Etymology [L. inveteratus, p. p. of inveterare to render old; pref. in- in + vetus, veteris, old. See Veteran.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “inveterate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details