Online Etymology Dictionary

habit: early 13c., from O.Fr. habit, from L. habitus "condition, demeanor, appearance, dress," originally pp. of habere "to have, to hold, possess," from PIE base *ghabh- "to seize, take, hold, have, give, receive" (cf. Skt. gabhasti- "hand, forearm;" O.Ir. gaibim "I take, hold, I have," gabal "act of taking;" Lith. gabana "armful," gabenti "to remove;" Goth. gabei "riches;" O.E. giefan, O.N. gefa "to give"). Base sense probably "to hold," which can be either in offering or in taking. Applied in Latin to both inner and outer states of being, and taken over in both sense by English, though meaning of "dress" is now restricted to monks and nuns. Drug sense is from 1887. Habitual first attested 1520s.
habitat: 1762, as a technical term in Latin texts on Eng. flora and fauna, lit. "it inhabits," third pers. sing. pres. indic. of habitare "to live, dwell," freq. of habere "to have, to hold, possess" (see habit). General sense of "dwelling place" is first attested 1854. Habitant "Canadian of Fr. descent" (1789) is from Fr. word meaning "inhabitant" (lit. the prp. of habiter "to inhabit, dwell"), and was the usual word for planters in 18c. Quebec.
cuckold: mid-13c., from O.Fr. cucuault, from cucu (see cuckoo) + pejorative suffix. So called from the female bird's alleged habit of changing mates, or her authentic habit of leaving eggs in another bird's nest. The verb is 1580s, from the noun. Related: Cuckoldry (1520s).
thews: O.E. þeawes "customs, manners, personal qualities," pl. of þeaw "habit, custom," from P.Gmc. *thawaz (cf. O.S. thau "usage, custom, habit," O.H.G. thau "discipline"); no certain cognates outside W.Gmc. Meaning "bodily powers or parts indicating strength, good physique" is attested from 1566, from notion of "good qualities." Acquired a sense of "muscular development" when it was revived by Scott (1818).
condolences: "formal declaration of sympathy," 1670s, pl. of condolence. Reason for the plural is unclear; earliest references are to expressions from groups of persons; perhaps the habit stuck.
cachectic: 1630s, ult. from Gk. kakhektikos "in a bad habit of body" (see cachexia).
chaffinch: Fringilla cælebs, O.E. ceaffinc, lit. "chaff-finch," so called for its habit of eating waste grain on farms.
nuthatch: mid-14c., probably is so called from its habit of breaking open and eating nuts; from nut + second element related to hack (v.) and hatchet.
pack-rat: common name for the N.Amer. bushytailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea) is attested from 1885, from pack (v.), from the rodent's habit of dragging objects off to their holes. Used figuratively or allusively of persons who won't discard anything from c.1850, which means either the rat's name is older than that or the human sense is the original one.
ethos: revived by Palgrave in 1851 from Gk. ethos "moral character, nature, disposition, habit, custom," from suffixed form of PIE base *s(w)e- (see idiom). An important concept in Aristotle (e.g. "Rhetoric" II xii-xiv).
windhover: "kestrel," 1674, from wind (n.) + hover; so called from the bird's habit of hovering in the wind. An earlier name for it was windfucker (1599).
ebriety: "state or habit of being intoxicated," 1580s, from L. ebrietatem, from ebrius "drunk." The opposite of sobriety.
dishabille: 1673, from Fr. déshabillé "undress," from des- "dis-" + habiller "to dress," originally "prepare, arrange" (see habit).
a (2): as in twice a day, etc., from O.E. an "on," in this case "on each." The sense was extended from time to measure, price, place, etc. The habit of tacking a onto a gerund (as in a-hunting we will go) died out 18c.
pangolin: 1774, "scaly toothless mammal of Java," from Malay peng-goling "roller," from its habit of curling into a ball; from peng- (denominative prefix) + goling "to roll." Later extended to related species in Asia and Africa.
binnacle: "wooden box for a ship's compass," c.1750, corruption of bittacle (1620s), which is probably from Sp. bitacula or Port. bitacola, both from L. habitaculum "little dwelling place," from habitare "to inhabit (see habit).
Sufi: member of a Muslim mystical order, 1653 (earlier Sufian, 1585), from Arabic sufi, lit. "man of wool" (i.e., "man wearing woolen garments"), from suf "wool." So-called from the habit of "putting on the holy garment" (labs-as-suf) to devote oneself to mysticism.
debt: late 13c., from O.Fr. dete, from L. debitam "thing owed," neut. pp. of debere "to owe," originally, "keep something away from someone," from de- "away" + habere "to have" (see habit). Restored spelling after c.1400 from M.E. dette.
drinking: c.1200, drinkinge, from drink (v.). Drinking problem "alcoholism" is from 1957; earlier was drinking habit (1899).
cacoethes: "itch for doing something," 1560s, from L., from Gk. kakoethes "ill-habit, wickedness, itch for doing (something)," from kakos "bad" + ethe- "disposition, character" (see ethos). Most famously, in Juvenal's insanabile scribendi cacoethes "incurable passion for writing."
hectic: late 14c., etik, from O.Fr. etique, from L.L. hecticus, from Gk. hektikos "continuous, habitual, consumptive" (of a disease, because of the constant fever), from hexis "habit," from ekhein "have, hold, continue." The Latin -h- was restored in Eng. 1500s. Sense of "feverishly exciting, full of disorganized activity" first recorded 1904.
-ment: suffix forming nouns, originally from Fr. and representing L. -mentum, which was added to verb stems sometimes to represent the result or product of the action. Used with English verb stems from 16c. (e.g. merriment, which also illustrates the habit of turning -y to -i- before this suffix).
black widow: type of poisonous spider in U.S. South (Latrodectus mactans), 1904, so called from its color and from the female's supposed habit of eating the male after mating (they are cannibalistic, but this particular behavior is rare in the wild). Sometimes also known as shoe-button spider. The name black widow is attested earlier (1830s) as a translation of a name of the "scorpion spider" of Central Asia.
inhibition: late 14c., from O.Fr. inibicion, from L. inhibitionem (nom. inhibitio) "a restraining," from stem of inhibere "hold in, restrain, hinder," from in- "in, on" + habere "to hold" (see habit). Psychological sense of "involuntary check on an expression of an impulse" is from 1876.
floccinaucinihilipilification: "action or habit of estimating as worthless," 1741, a combination of four Latin words (flocci, nauci, nihili, pilifi) all signifying "at a small price" or "for nothing," which were listed together in a rule of the well-known Eton Latin Grammar. The kind of jocular formation that was possible among educated men in Britain in those days. Just so, as in praesenti, the opening words of mnemonic lines on conjugation in Lilley's 16c. Latin grammar, could stand alone as late as 19c. and be understood to mean "rudiments of Latin."
temperament: early 15c., "proportioned mixture of elements," from L. temperamentum "proper mixture," from temperare "to mix" (see temper). In medieval theory, it meant a combination of qualities (hot, cold, moist, dry) that determined the nature of an organism; this was extended to a combination of the four humors (sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, and melancholic) that made up a person's characteristic disposition. General sense of "habit of mind, natural disposition" is from 1821.
niacin: "pellagra-preventing vitamin in enriched bread," 1942, coined from ni(cotinic) ac(id) + -in, chemical suffix; suggested by the merican Medical Association as a more commercially viable name than nicotinic acid.
"The new name was found to be necessary because some anti-tobacco groups warned against enriched bread because it would foster the cigarette habit." ["Cooperative Consumer," Feb. 28, 1942]
habiliment: 1422, "munitions, weapons," from M.Fr. habillement, from abiller "prepare or fit out," probably from habile "fit, suitable" (see able). Alternative etymology makes the M.Fr. verb originally mean "reduce a tree by stripping off the branches," from a- "to" + bille "stick of wood." Sense of "clothing, dress" developed 1470, by association with habit (q.v.).
morose: 1530s "gloomy," from L. morosus "morose, peevish, fastidious," from mos (gen. moris) "habit, custom" (see moral). In English, manners by itself means "(good) manners," but here the implication in Latin is "(bad) manners."
access: early 14c., "an attack of fever," from O.Fr. acces "onslaught" (14c.), from L. accessus "a coming to, an approach," pp. of accedere "approach" (see accede). Meaning "habit or power of getting into the presence of (someone or something)" is from late 14c. As a verb, first recorded 1962. Accession "act of coming to a position," especially of a throne, is 1769 (first recorded in Burke).
castigate: 1607, from L. castigatus pp. of castigare "to purify, chastise," from castus "pure" (see caste) + agere "to do." Sense of "make someone pure by correcting or reproving him."
"If thou didst put this soure cold habit on To castigate thy pride, 'twere well." [Shakespeare, "Timon" IV.iii (1607)]
use (n.): early 13c., from O.Fr. us, from L. usus "use, custom, skill, habit," from pp. stem of uti (see use (v.)). Useful is recorded from 1590s; useless is first attested 1590s.
usage: c.1300, "established practice, custom," from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. usage "custom, habit, experience," from us, from L. usus "use, custom" (see use).
exhibition: early 15c., from O.Fr. exhibicion, from L. exhibitionem (nom. exhibitio), from exhibere "to show, display," lit. "to hold out," from ex- "out" + habere "to hold" (see habit).
gavel: "small mallet used by presiding officers at meetings," 1805, Amer.Eng., of unknown origin; perhaps connected with Ger. dial. gaffel "brotherhood, friendly society," from M.H.G. gaffel "society, guild," related to O.E. gafol "tribute," giefan "to give" (see habit). But in some sources gavel also is identified as a type of mason's tool, in which case the extended meaning may be via freemasonry.
luxury: mid-14c., "lasciviousness, sinful self-indulgence," from O.Fr. luxurie, from L. luxuria "excess, luxury," from luxus "excess, extravagance, magnificence," probably a fig. use of luxus (adj.) "dislocated," which is related to luctari "wrestle, strain." Lost its pejorative taint 17c. Meaning "habit of indulgence in what is choice or costly" is from 1630s; that of "sumptuous surroundings" is from 1704; that of "something enjoyable or comfortable beyond life's necessities" is from 1780. First used as an adjective 1930.
chaise: 1701, "pleasure carriage," from Fr., variant of chaire (see chair) due to 15c.-16c. Parisian accent habit of swapping of -r- and -s-, often satirized by Fr. writers. Chaise lounge (1800) is corruption of Fr. chaise longue "long chair," the second word confused in Eng. with lounge.
less: O.E. læs (adv.), læssa (adj.), comp. of læs "small;" from P.Gmc. *laisiz "smaller," from PIE base *loiso- "small" (cf. Lith. liesas "thin"). Formerly also "younger," as a translation of L. minor, a sense now obsolete except in James the Less. Used as a comparative of little, but not related to it. Lesser (mid-15c.) is a double comparative, "a barbarous corruption of less, formed by the vulgar from the habit of terminating comparatives in -er." [Johnson].
malady: mid-13c., from O.Fr. maladie "sickness, illness, disease," from malade "ill," from L. male habitus "doing poorly, feeling sick," lit. "ill-conditioned," from male "badly" (see mal-) + habitus, pp. of habere "have, hold" (see habit). Related: Maladies.
gift: c.1100, from O.N. gift, from P.Gmc. *giftiz (cf. O.Fris. jefte, M.Du. ghifte "gift," Ger. Mitgift "dowry"), from PIE base *ghabh- "to give or receive" (see habit). O.E. cognate gift meant "bride-price, marriage gift (by the groom), dowry" (O.E. for "giving, gift" was related giefu). Sense of "natural talent" is c.1300.
frock: mid-14c., from O.Fr. froc "a monk's habit" (12c.), perhaps from Frank. *hroc (cf. O.H.G. hroc "mantle, coat;" O.N. rokkr, O.E. rocc, O.Fris. rokk, Ger. Rock "coat"), from PIE base *rug- "to spin." Another theory traces it to M.L. floccus, from L. floccus "flock of wool." Non-religious use is 1530s.
able: mid-14c., from O.Fr. (h)able, from L. habilis "easily handled, apt," verbal adj. from habere "to hold" (see habit). "Easy to be held," hence "fit for a purpose." The silent h- was dropped in Eng. and resisted academic attempts to restore it 16c.-17c., but some derivatives acquired it (e.g. habiliment, habilitate), via French.
"Able-whackets - A popular sea-game with cards, in which the loser is beaten over the palms of the hands with a handkerchief tightly twisted like a rope. Very popular with horny-fisted sailors." [Smyth, "Sailor's Word-Book," 1867]
fight (v.): O.E. feohtan "to fight" (class III strong verb; past tense feaht, pp. fohten), from P.Gmc. *fekhtanan (cf. O.H.G. fehtan, Du. vechten, O.Fris. fiuhta), from PIE *pek- "to pluck out" (wool or hair), apparently with a notion of "pulling roughly." Spelling substitution of -gh- for a "hard H" sound was a M.E. scribal habit, especially before -t-. In some late O.E. examples, the middle consonant was represented by a yogh. Related: Fighting. The noun is from O.E. feohte, gefeoht.
bankrupt: 1530s, from It. banca rotta, lit. "a broken bench," from banca "moneylender's shop," lit. "bench" (see bank (1)) + rotta "broken, defeated, interrupted" from (and remodeled on) L. rupta, fem. pp. of rumpere "to break" (see rupture). "[S]o called from the habit of breaking the bench of bankrupts" [Klein]. The verb is first recorded 1550s.
custom: c.1200, "habitual practice," from O.Fr. costume, from V.L. *consuetumen, from L. consuetudinem (nom. consuetudo) "habit or usage," from consuetus, pp. of consuescere "accustom," from com- intens. prefix + suescere "become used to, accustom oneself," related to sui, gen. of suus "oneself," from PIE *swe- "oneself" (see idiom). Replaced O.E. þeaw. Sense of a "regular" toll or tax on goods is early 14c.
provender: 1306, "allowance paid each chapter member of a cathedral," from Anglo-Fr. provendir, O.Fr. provendier, from Gallo-Romance *provenda, alt. (by influence of L. providere "supply") from L.L. præbenda "allowance, subsistence," from L. præbenda "(things) to be furnished," neut. pl. gerundive of præbere "to furnish, offer," from præ- "before" + habere "to hold" (see habit). Meaning "food, provisions, etc." (esp. dry food for horses) is recorded from 1340.
cachexia: "bad general state of health," 1540s, from Mod.L. cachexia, from Gk. kakhexia "bad habits," from kakos "bad" + -exia, related to exis "habit or state," from exein "to have, be in a condition," from PIE base *segh- "to hold, hold in one's power, to have" (see scheme). Related: cachexic.
habeas corpus: 1465, from L., lit. "(you should) have the person," in phrase habeas corpus ad subjiciendum "produce or have the person to be subjected to (examination)," opening words of writs in 14c. Anglo-Fr. documents to require a person to be brought before a court or judge, especially to determine if that person is being legally detained. From habeas, second pers. sing. pres. subjunctive of habere "to have, to hold" (see habit) + corpus "person," lit. "body" (see corporeal).
inhabit: late 14c., from O.Fr. enhabiter "dwell in" (12c.), from L. inhabitare, from in- "in" + habitare "to dwell," frequentative of habere "hold, have" (see habit). Inhabitant first recorded mid-15c. Inhabitable was used in two opposite senses: "not habitable" (c.1400, from in- "not" + habitable) and "capable of being inhabited" (c.1600, from inhabit + -able).
wean: O.E. wenian "to accustom," from P.Gmc. *wanjanan (cf. O.N. venja, Du. wennen, O.H.G. giwennan, Ger. gewöhnen "to accustom"), from *wanaz "accustomed" (related to wont). The sense of weaning a child from the breast in O.E. was generally expressed by gewenian or awenian, which has a sense of "unaccustom" (cf. Ger. abgewöhnen, entwöhnen "to wean," lit. "to unaccustom"). The prefix subsequently wore off. Figurative extension to any pursuit or habit is from 1526.