Question

inveterate adjective Like veteran, inveterate ultimately comes from Latin vetus, which means "old," and which led to the Latin verb inveterare ("to age"). That verb in turn gave rise eventually to the adjective inveteratus, the direct source of our adjective inveterate (in use since the 14th century). In the past, inveterate has meant "long-standing" or simply "old." For example, one 16th-century writer warned of "Those great Flyes which in the springe time of the yeare creepe out of inveterate walls." Today, inveterate most often applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence that it is practically ineradicable or unalterable. 1 : firmly established by long persistence2 : confirmed in a habit : habitual

Accepted Answer

April 26, 2016 in-VET-uh-rut Since Ernie is an inveterate liar, we naturally didn't believe him when he told us he'd met the movie star."As an inveterate letter writer, I started sending email as soon as I could sign on with dial-up, and became impatient to connect via DSL." — Deborah Lee Luskin, The Rutland (Vermont) Herald, 25 Feb. 2016

Word	inveterate
Date	April 26, 2016
Type	adjective
Syllables	in-VET-uh-rut
Etymology	Like veteran, inveterate ultimately comes from Latin vetus, which means "old," and which led to the Latin verb inveterare ("to age"). That verb in turn gave rise eventually to the adjective inveteratus, the direct source of our adjective inveterate (in use since the 14th century). In the past, inveterate has meant "long-standing" or simply "old." For example, one 16th-century writer warned of "Those great Flyes which in the springe time of the yeare creepe out of inveterate walls." Today, inveterate most often applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence that it is practically ineradicable or unalterable.
Examples	Since Ernie is an inveterate liar, we naturally didn't believe him when he told us he'd met the movie star. "As an inveterate letter writer, I started sending email as soon as I could sign on with dial-up, and became impatient to connect via DSL." — Deborah Lee Luskin, The Rutland (Vermont) Herald, 25 Feb. 2016
Definition	1 : firmly established by long persistence 2 : confirmed in a habit : habitual

Inveterate Adjective Latin Verb Long I April In Vet Uh Rut