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his inveterate tendency to overlook the obvious
he has an inveterate tendency to tell some very tall tales
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inveterate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like veteran, inveterate ultimately comes from Latin vetus, which means "old," and which led to the Latin verb inveterare ("to age"). That verb in turn gave rise eventually to the adjective inveteratus, the direct source of our adjective inveterate (in use since the 14th century). In the past, inveterate has meant "long-standing" or simply "old." For example, one 16th-century writer warned of "Those great Flyes which in the springe time of the yeare creepe out of inveterate walls." Today, inveterate most often applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence that it is practically ineradicable or unalterable.
: always or often doing something specified
: always or often happening or existing
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inveterate Spanish Central: Translation of inveterate Nglish: Translation of inveterate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of inveterate for Arabic speakers
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