A Routine Is a Well-Worn Route
A routine is a regular way of doing things. The word comes from route, and the image is a path worn by repeated use.
A routine is a fixed sequence of actions repeated regularly. The word is *route* with a French ending: a routine is a beaten path, worn smooth by going the same way. That explains both senses of the word — reassuringly familiar, and dulled by repetition.
- A regular way of doing things. *A morning routine.*
- A rehearsed performance. *A dance routine.*
- Ordinary and unremarkable. *A routine inspection.*
- A set of instructions (computing). *A sorting routine.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | routine | A daily routine. |
| Plural | routines | Established routines. |
| Adjective | routine | Routine maintenance. |
| Adverb | routinely | Routinely checked. |
| Verb | routinise | Routinised work. |
How it is used in a sentence
- She has a strict morning routine.Habit.
- It was a routine check.Meaning ordinary, not special.
- The floor routine scored highest.Gymnastics.
Habit words
- Routine — a regular sequence of actions
- Habit — a behaviour repeated automatically
- Ritual — a sequence with symbolic meaning
- Rut — a routine that has become a trap
- Regimen — a prescribed routine, often medical
From French *routine*, from *route*, a way or road, from Latin *rupta via*, a broken way — a path forced through country.
Routine or ritual?
A routine is practical repetition. A ritual carries meaning beyond its function, even a private one.
Why does *route* mean a broken way?
From Latin *rupta via*, a way broken through terrain. The same *rupta* gives *rupture* and *abrupt*.