Ingrained
/ɪnˈɡreɪnd/noun
Deeply fixed or firmly established, especially in habits, beliefs, or attitudes.
Did you know?In early modern usage, to be “ingrained” could mean dyed so thoroughly that the color soaked into the fibers, which is why the word came to mean a habit or belief that feels impossible to remove.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵr̥h₂-no-
“A root related to grain and kernels”
Old French
OF
grain
“A grain, seed, or small particle”
Middle English
ME
ingrainen
“To dye or color deeply, especially in cloth or fibers”
16th Century
English
ingrained
“Dyed or fixed deeply into the fiber”
Modern English
English
ingrained
“Deeply fixed in the mind, habits, or character”