[ ɪn'vɛt(ə)rət ]
■ adjective having a long-standing and firmly established habit or activity: he was an ~ gambler.
↘(of a feeling or habit) firmly established.
Derivatives
inveteracy noun
~ly adverb
Origin
ME (referring to disease, in the sense 'chronic'): from L. inveteratus 'made old', past participle of inveterare .