/ həˈbɪtʃuəl; NAmE / adjective
1.
[ only before noun ] usual or typical of sb/sth :
They waited for his habitual response.
( formal )
a person's place of habitual residence
2.
( of an action ) done, often in a way that is annoying or difficult to stop :
habitual complaining
the habitual use of heroin
3.
[ only before noun ] ( of a person ) doing sth that has become a habit and is therefore difficult to stop :
a habitual criminal / drinker / liar, etc.
HELP NOTE : Some speakers do not pronounce the 'h' at the beginning of habitual and use 'an' instead of 'a' before it. This now sounds old-fashioned.
► ha·bit·ual·ly / -tʃuəli; NAmE / adverb :
the dark glasses he habitually wore
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense part of one's character ): from medieval Latin habitualis , from habitus condition, appearance, from habere have, consist of.