Origin
This was first recorded in 1546.
Explanation
It is something that you say which means that a person’s character, especially if it is bad, will not change, even if he pretends it has. It means that no matter how hard someone may try to change his true nature, he’ll never succeed in changing who he is naturally. It means that a leopard was born with a certain pattern of spots and as such it can’t, not matter how hard it may try to change those spots into a different pattern. People are like that; there are certain aspects of people that can’t change. There is much that can change but there is much that can’t either. I also take it to mean that while you may want a leopard with different spots (or a person to act in a different way), it sometimes would be much easier to just find another leopard or accept the pattern on the first one and then to try to get it to change its spots for you. Learn to ignore the spots you don’t like and take notice of the ones you do. It means that people cannot change basic aspects of their character, especially negative ones.
Example
I doubt very much that marriage will change Chris for the better. A leopard doesn’t change its spots.
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