inveterate

/ˌɪnˈvetəət/in-VEH-tur-uht

/ˌɪnˈvɛtɚət/in-VEH-tur-uht

Meaninggrown old

Common meaning: long-established

inin, into; (before adjectives) not
vetold, of many yearsLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1983 · scan
eragent ending: one who
ateverb or adjective ending: to make, having

‘in, into’ + ‘old, of many years’ → inveterate

Journey through time

Latinvetus, veteris‘old, of many years’
Englishinveterate‘long-established’ · today

in- also in: incest incite induce infamy infant

vet also in: veteran

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin vetus ‘old, of many years’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry vetus, p. 1983 · dictionary scan

Roots

vetus, veteris Latin “old, of many years”

Related words

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