consueto

Consueto is an adjective in Spanish that describes something done regularly or established by habit. It can refer to actions, times, or objects that belong to an ordinary routine, or to customs and practices that are commonly observed. The term is somewhat formal or literary and is often used to convey a sense of established practice rather than mere frequency. In everyday prose, synonyms such as habitual, común, or rutinario are common, but consueto emphasizes customary practice.

Etymology and usage notes: Consueto derives from Latin consuetudinis, related to consuetudo meaning custom or habit. Through this lineage, the Spanish word acquired the sense of belonging to the usual or customary way of doing things. The feminine form is consueta, used when describing a feminine noun, as in la hora consueta.

Examples: La hora consueta de la cena es a las ocho. El saludo consueto de la mañana se mantuvo, a pesar de las mudanças.

Related terms: consuetudinario, habitual, rutinario, común, costumbre, tradición. Consuetudinario is a closely related term that more explicitly marks behavior or practices that arise from custom rather than mere frequency.

In summary, consueto remains a useful descriptor in Spanish for denoting routines, practices, or items that are part of the normal, established pattern rather than exceptional or novel.