A leopard cant change his spots

A leopard can’t change his spots

Meaning

You cannot change your innate self.

Examples

He was a bully at school and he’s a bully now – a leopard can’t change its spots.

Where did it originate?

Biblical.

Where is it used?

Widespread but rather formal form of expression. Not widely used by the young.

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.