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inveterate

 - 5 dictionary results

in⋅vet⋅er⋅ate

  [in-vet-er-it]
Use inveterate in a Sentence
–adjective
1. settled or confirmed in a habit, practice, feeling, or the like: an inveterate gambler.
2. firmly established by long continuance, as a disease, habit, practice, feeling, etc.; chronic.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME < L inveterātus (ptp. of inveterāre to grow old, allow to grow old, preserve), equiv. to in- in- 2 + veter- (s. of vetus) old + -ātus -ate 1 ; cf. veteran

Related forms:
in⋅vet⋅er⋅ate⋅ly, adverb
in⋅vet⋅er⋅ate⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. hardened, constant, habitual. 2. set, fixed, rooted.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To inveterate
in·vet·er·ate   (ĭn-vět'ər-ĭt)   
adj.  

  1. Firmly and long established; deep-rooted: inveterate preferences.

  2. Persisting in an ingrained habit; habitual: an inveterate liar. See Synonyms at chronic.


[Middle English, from Latin inveterātus, past participle of inveterārī, to grow old, endure : in-, causative pref.; see in-2 + vetus, veter-, old; see wet-2 in Indo-European roots.]
in·vet'er·a·cy (-ər-ə-sē), in·vet'er·ate·ness n., in·vet'er·ate·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

inveterate 
1528, from L. inveteratus "of long standing, chronic," pp. of inveterare "become old in," from in- "in, into" + veterare "to make old," from vetus (gen. veteris) "old" (see veteran).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: in·vet·er·ate
Pronunciation: in-'vet-&-r&t, -'ve-tr&t
Function: adjective
1 : marked by long duration orfrequent recurrence <inveterate bursitis>
2 : confirmed in a habit : HABITUAL 2inveterate smoker>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

inveterate in·vet·er·ate (ĭn-vět'ər-ĭt)
adj.

  1. Firmly and long established; deep-rooted.

  2. Persisting in an ingrained habit; habitual.

in·vet'er·a·cy (-ər-ə-sē) or in·vet'er·ate·ness n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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