Habitually

Part of speech: adverb

Pronunciation: /həˈbɪtju.əli/

Definitions

1. In a regular and repeated manner, as a consistent pattern of behavior or occurrence
2. In a manner characterized by frequent and customary behavior, reflecting a consistent routine or practice
3. With regularity and persistence, indicating actions or behaviors that are ingrained through repetition over time

Etymology: Habitually is a plain formation: the adjective "habitual" with the adverbial ending "-ly" attached, the latter descending from an Old English "-līċe" that gave Middle English "-ly" its shape. The adjective "habitual" comes from "habit," which entered English in Middle English from Latin "habitus," the past participle of "habēre," meaning "to have" or "to hold." That Latin sense of holding or being in a condition is the root of the modern idea of a settled state or practice. Because "habit" meant a state of being or dress as well as a repeated action, the word carries two strands. A habit can be the way someone is clothed or conditioned, and it can be the repeated doing that makes a person what they are. Habitually sits on the second strand, describing actions that recur because they have become settled.

Synonyms: regularly, routinely, usually

Antonyms: rarely, infrequently