habituo

Forms

habituō (present infinitive habituāre, perfect active habituāvī, supine habituātum); first conjugation^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin habitus (“condition, bearing, dress”).^[2][3][1] Its base was originally the past participle of habeō (“to have, hold”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Caelius Aurelianus (5th century AD) uses it in the passive for being in a certain bodily condition: “si nutrix malo suco atque corpore habituari videatur” (if a wet nurse seems to be in a bad state of humours and body).^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In Medieval Latin it meant to accustom, to make something habitual; its past participle was used of someone confirmed in a vice, such as pride or mortal sin.^[5][6] It also meant to train or exercise, and in the passive to become accustomed.^[7] A Hungarian document uses it for clothing someone in the habit of a religious order.^[6] English habituate (1520s) comes from the Late Latin past participle.^[3]

Timeline

• 5th century AD – Caelius Aurelianus uses it of a bodily condition.^[2][4]
• 1404 – A Kraków record uses it of masters training themselves and others.^[7]
• c. 1412 – A letter of the University of Oxford speaks of one habituated in mortal sin.^[5]
• 1520s – English borrows it as habituate.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. (passive) To be in a certain bodily condition.^[2]
2. (Medieval Latin) To accustom, make habitual; in the passive, to become accustomed.^[5][6][7]
3. (Medieval Latin) To train, exercise.^[7]
4. (Medieval Latin) To clothe in the habit of a religious order.^[6]

Related words

• English habituate

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
7. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl