a leopard can’t change his spots

A

a leopard can’t change his spots

Meaning

• one cannot change who they are
• the inherent traits in a person remain as they are even if they actively seek to change them
• it is a notion that the innate or inborn nature of things cannot be amended

Example Sentences

1. He is bound to fail the exam again, a Leopard cannot change his spots after all.
2. She is still going after married men. It is impossible for a Leopard to change his spots.

Origin

The origin comes from the Bible where the King James Version of Jeremiah 13:23 talks about evil people doing good when the Leopard can change his spots. The exact quote has been provided above from the Holy book. The reference is towards the fact that those who are evil will not do good and vice versa. Due to its biblical origin, this phrase is more affiliated with good and evil in literary context.

Quoted from the Bible “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23 (King James Version)