inveterate
Americanadjective
-
long established, esp so as to be deep-rooted or ingrained
an inveterate feeling of hostility
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(prenominal) settled or confirmed in a habit or practice, esp a bad one; hardened
an inveterate smoker
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obsolete full of hatred; hostile
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inveterate
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin inveterātus (past participle of inveterāre “to grow old, allow to grow old, preserve”), equivalent to in- in- 2 + veter- (stem of vetus “old”) + -ātus -ate 1; cf. veteran
Explanation
If you're an inveterate doodler, all your notebooks are covered with drawings. If you're an inveterate golf player, you probably get twitchy if you haven't been out on a course in a week. Inveterate comes from the Latin root for “old,” and it describes old habits. In Middle English the word was associated with chronic disease. Now it simply refers to something that is a signature habit with a person. If you’ve loved books ever since you were a toddler, and you regularly check out big stacks from the library, you’re an inveterate reader. And if you're an inveterate nail-biter, nothing can cure you of the habit.
Vocabulary lists containing inveterate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Clark, an inveterate trash-talker and hyper-competitive athlete, has seemed completely uninterested in courting controversy away from the hardwood.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
During his more than three decades as Simon Property Group’s chief executive, the inveterate dealmaker gobbled up competitors and defied critics, who said malls were obsolete.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
Duer was also an inveterate speculator and get-rich-quick schemer: “king of the alley,” as Thomas Jefferson derisively referred External link to Wall Street.
From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026
Still, there is irony in Grantham, the inveterate bear, advancing an argument that could turn out to have bullish implications.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 17, 2026
At its psychological nub, Washington’s inveterate realism was rooted in his commitment to control, over himself and over any and all events with the power to determine his fate.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
