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.
Phrases and idioms:
habit-forming causing addiction. make a habit of do regularly.
Etymology: ME f. OF abit f. L habitus f. habere habit- have, be constituted