Results for “what is habit” · retrieved September 22, 2026
A habit is a settled, regularly repeated behavior or way of thinking that often becomes automatic or involuntary.
In psychology, a habit is a learned behavior that is regularly repeated, often becoming automatic or subconscious [2, 3]. These behaviors are developed through repetition and reinforcement, allowing the brain to conserve mental energy for more complex tasks [2, 3]. While habits can be beneficial, they can also create behavioral inflexibility [2]. Beyond psychology, the term can refer to a person's mental disposition, a physical condition, or the characteristic growth pattern of an organism [1, 6, 7]. Historically, the word also referred to clothing, a usage that persists today in specific contexts like religious or riding attire [1, 6, 7].
Answer details
Psychological Definition
Habits are learned behaviors developed through repetition and reinforcement, often occurring with little or no conscious thought.
Broader Usage
The term can describe a person's mental attitude, physical makeup, or the characteristic way a plant or animal grows.
Historical Context
Historically, habit meant clothing; this usage remains in phrases like nun's habit or riding habit.
Dependency
In informal contexts, the word is sometimes used to describe a strong physical or psychological dependency on substances like drugs or alcohol.
Sources 8
About this answerHABIT Definition & Meaning
noun hab·it ˈha-bət Synonyms of habit A Simple Definition is available from our Learner's Dictionary to help you understand the meaning faster....: a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior...her habit of taking a morning walk...: an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary...: a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility
September 17, 2026
Habit | Formation, Change, Maintenance | Britannica
habit, in psychology, any regularly repeated behaviour that requires little or no thought and is learned rather than innate. A habit—which can be part of any activity, ranging from eating and sleeping to thinking and reacting—is developed through reinforcement and repetition. Reinforcement encourages the repetition of a behaviour, or response, each time the stimulus that provoked the behaviour recurs. The behaviour becomes more automatic with eac
Publication date not supplied
Habit
A habit (or wont, the original word in English) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously. [1] A 1903 paper in the American Journal of Psychology defined a "habit, from the standpoint of psychology, [as] a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience." [2] Habitual behavior often goes unnoticed by persons exhibiting it, because a per
Publication date not supplied
HABIT | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
habit noun (REPEATED ACTION)...something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it: annoying habit He has an annoying habit of arriving just when we are having our meal....something annoying that someone often does:...a strong physical need to keep taking a particular drug: a cocaine habit figurative humorous I'm afraid Ihave a chocolate habit. break the habit of a lifetime often humorous (also change th
Publication date not supplied
habit noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French abit, habit, from Latin habitus ‘condition, appearance’, from habere ‘have, consist of’. The term originally meant ‘dress, attire’, later coming to denote physical or mental constitution....1. [countable] a thing that you do often and almost without thinking, especially something that is hard to stop doing...17. [uncountable] usual behaviour...31. [countable] (informal) a strong need to keep using drugs,
Publication date not supplied
HABIT Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary....customary practice or use....a particular practice, custom, or usage....a dominant or regular disposition or tendency; prevailing character or quality....mental character or disposition....a habit of mind....characteristic bodily or physical condition....the characteristic form, aspect, mode of growth, etc., of an organism....attire worn by...saddle horse...
Publication date not supplied
habit - definition of habit by HarperCollins
habit(ˈhæbɪt)noun1. a tendency or disposition to act in a particular way...2. established custom, usual practice, etc...3. psychology a learned behavioural response that has become associated with a particular situation, esp one frequently repeated...4. mental disposition or attitude ⇒ a good working habit of mind...a. a practice or substance to which a person is addicted ⇒ drink has become a habit with him...b. the state of being dependent on
Publication date not supplied
habit noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French abit, habit, from Latin habitus ‘condition, appearance’, from habere ‘have, consist of’. The term originally meant ‘dress, attire’, later coming to denote physical or mental constitution....1. [countable] a thing that you do often and almost without thinking, especially something that is hard to stop doing...17. [uncountable] usual behaviour...31. [countable] (informal) a strong need to keep using drugs,
Publication date not supplied
Keep exploring
Related on this site
This page was prepared by Seeked from live retrieval on September 22, 2026 and is not continuously updated. Run a fresh search for the latest, or to inspect each source.