habituelle

Habituelle is a feminine singular French adjective meaning usual, habitual, or customary. It describes something that occurs regularly or by habit and agrees with feminine nouns, as in une routine habituelle, une pratique habituelle, or une réaction habituelle.

The masculine form is habituel, used with masculine nouns such as un comportement habituel or un horaire habituel. The plural forms are habituelles (feminine) and habituels (masculine). Because it originates from a common root with habit and habitus, habituelle shares semantic connections with terms like habitude and habitualité, though the latter are used in different linguistic contexts.

Origin and related terms: habituelle derives from Latin habitualis, from habitus meaning a manner, condition, or dress. The noun habitude, closely related, denotes custom or practice and is a common synonym in many contexts.

Usage notes: habituelle emphasizes regularity and the standard nature of an action or state, often implying that it is not exceptional. It is common in both written and spoken French, though in everyday speech speakers may opt for synonyms like usuel or ordinaire in some contexts. The adverbial form habituellement, meaning usually or ordinarily, is used to describe the frequency of actions rather than their descriptive quality.

Examples:

- C'est sa réponse habituelle.

- Ils suivent des procédures habituelles.

- Une attitude habituelle dans son entourage.

See also: habitude, habituel, habituellement.