This word immediately came to mind this morning when I awoke, rose from bed, and promptly set about giving each of The Kids their first daily fix of attention and affection—something I do without fail before tending any other business.

inveterate (in·vet·er·ate): / in VET er it /
adjective

(1) fixed in a practice, habit, feeling, or belief; habitual
(2) firmly established by long persistence or continuance; of long standing; chronic

[From Middle English from Latin inveteratus, past participle of inveterare meaning “to age, grow old, allow to grow old, preserve,” from veter-, stem of vetus meaning “old.”]

Usage: Almost all adult religious belief represents inveterate faith stemming from childhood indoctrination, a fact easily proved by the vast majority of believers who follow the religion of their parents without ever having truly analyzed any other creed.