habitue
Meaning
a person who frequently visits a particular place or attends a particular event.
Structure
Usage
he was a familiar habitue of the downtown coffee shop, seen there every morning.
the old library was mostly frequented by a few quiet habitues.
as a habitue of the theater, she had seen every production that season.
Etymology
the word 'habitue' entered english in the early 19th century from french 'habitué', the past participle of 'habituer' meaning 'to accustom'. this french verb derives from latin 'habitare', a frequentative form of 'habere' (to have, to hold), which in this context evolved to mean 'to dwell' or 'to inhabit'. the core semantic link is from the idea of dwelling in a place to being accustomed to it, and finally to a person who is a customary, frequent visitor. the suffix '-é' marks the agent, solidifying the meaning as one who is accustomed to a place.
Analysis
habit: from latin 'habitare', meaning 'to dwell, to live in'. ue: a french noun suffix used to form agent nouns, indicating a person associated with the root action.