n. & v.
n. 1 a settled or regular tendency or practice (often foll. by of + verbal noun: has a habit of ignoring me). 2 a practice that is hard to give up. 3 a mental constitution or attitude. 4 Psychol. an automatic reaction to a specific situation. 5 colloq. an addictive practice, esp. of taking drugs. 6 a the dress of a particular class, esp. of a religious order. b (in full riding-habit) a woman's riding-dress. c archaic dress, attire. 7 a bodily constitution. 8 Biol. & Crystallog. a mode of growth.
v.tr. (usu. as habited adj.) clothe. habit-forming causing addiction. make a habit of do regularly.
[ ME f. OF abit f. L habitus f. habere habit- have, be constituted ]