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Tendency vs Habit - What's the difference?

tendency | habit |

As nouns the difference between tendency and habit

is that tendency is a likelihood of behaving in a particular way or going in a particular direction; a tending toward while habit is an action done on a regular basis.

As a verb habit is

to clothe.

tendency

English

Noun

(tendencies)
  • A likelihood of behaving in a particular way or going in a particular direction; a tending toward.
  • Denim has a tendency to fade.
  • An organised unit or faction within a larger political organisation.
  • a militant tendency

    Derived terms

    * multitendency

    Synonyms

    * inclination * disposition * propensity * penchant * trend

    habit

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) ; see have.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An action done on a regular basis.
  • * Washington Irving
  • a man of very shy, retired habits
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author= Ian Sample
  • , volume=189, issue=6, page=34, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Irregular bedtimes may affect children's brains , passage=Irregular bedtimes may disrupt healthy brain development in young children, according to a study of intelligence and sleeping habits .  ¶ Going to bed at a different time each night affected girls more than boys, but both fared worse on mental tasks than children who had a set bedtime, researchers found.}}
  • An action performed repeatedly and automatically, usually without awareness.
  • A long piece of clothing worn by monks and nuns.
  • A piece of clothing worn uniformly for a specific activity.
  • (archaic) Outward appearance; attire; dress.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy.
  • * Addison
  • There are, among the statues, several of Venus, in different habits .
  • * 1719 , (Daniel Defoe), (Robinson Crusoe)
  • it was always my fate to choose for the worse, so I did here; for having money in my pocket and good clothes upon my back, I would always go on board in the habit of a gentleman; and so I neither had any business in the ship, or learned to do any.
  • (botany) form of growth or general appearance of a variety or species of plant, e.g. erect, prostrate, bushy.
  • An addiction.
  • Synonyms
    * (l)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) habiten, from (etyl) habiter, from (etyl) ; see have.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To clothe.
  • (archaic) To inhabit.