habituate

[ huh-bich-oo-eyt ]

verb (used with object)

, ha·bit·u·at·ed, ha·bit·u·at·ing.

1. to accustom (a person, the mind, etc.), as to a particular situation:

   Wealth habituated him to luxury.

   Synonyms: train, acclimate, familiarize

2. Archaic. to frequent.

verb (used without object)

, ha·bit·u·at·ed, ha·bit·u·at·ing.

1. to cause habituation, physiologically or psychologically.

habituate

/ həˈbɪtjʊˌeɪt /

verb

1. to accustom; make used (to)
2. archaic.
   to frequent

Other Words From

• unha·bitu·ated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of habituate¹

1520–30; < Late Latin habituātus conditioned, constituted, (past participle of habituāre ), equivalent to habitu ( s ) habit ¹ + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

At bat colonies in Panama and Costa Rica, Fernandez spent a couple of weeks before pups were born slowly inching closer to the adult animals, habituating them to her presence.

From Science News

Because the animal was habituated and food driven, having spent the past year accosting picnickers and thieving anglers’ trout, its fate had been sealed for months—long before Yarrow’s brush with it.

From Outside Online

Yet the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has documented illegal placement of food and grain along the highway to keep the bears habituated to feeding along the road.

From Outside Online

Twice before, Yellowstone wolves deemed hopelessly habituated have been put down.

From Outside Online

By keeping marquee films coming to homes first for another year, the shift could further habituate Americans to getting their entertainment at home instead of in theaters.

From Washington Post

In order, however, to habituate them to a passive obedience, an ostensible purpose had to be held out.

From Project Gutenberg

Still others habituate themselves to some manner of tone-production, and neither increase nor diminish the degree of stiffness.

From Project Gutenberg

He should habituate himself to bend easily to the various circumstances which may from time to time surround him.

From Project Gutenberg

By working them thus alternately, while they are fresh and full of spirits, you will habituate them to implicit obedience.

From Project Gutenberg

It is a barren superfluity, to which those who can hardly procure what nature requires, cannot prudently habituate themselves.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accustom