tradition

American  

[truh-dish-uhn] / trəˈdɪʃ ən /

noun

1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.

   a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.

2. something that is handed down.

   the traditions of the American South.

   Synonyms:

   usage, convention, habit, practice, custom

3. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting.

   The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.

4. a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.

5. a customary or characteristic method or manner.

   The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.

6. Theology.

   1. (among Jews) body of laws and doctrines, or any one of them, held to have been received from Moses and originally handed down orally from generation to generation.

   2. (among Christians) a body of teachings, or any one of them, held to have been delivered by Christ and His apostles but not originally committed to writing.

   3. (among Muslims) a hadith.

7. Law. an act of handing over something to another, especially in a formal legal manner; delivery; transfer.

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tradition British  

/ trəˈdɪʃən /

noun

1. the handing down from generation to generation of the same customs, beliefs, etc, esp by word of mouth

2. the body of customs, thought, practices, etc, belonging to a particular country, people, family, or institution over a relatively long period

3. a specific custom or practice of long standing

4. Christianity a doctrine or body of doctrines regarded as having been established by Christ or the apostles though not contained in Scripture

5. (often capital) Judaism a body of laws regarded as having been handed down from Moses orally and only committed to writing in the 2nd century _ad

6. the beliefs and customs of Islam supplementing the Koran, esp as embodied in the Sunna

7. law Roman law Scots law the act of formally transferring ownership of movable property; delivery

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Other Word Forms

• antitradition adjective
• countertradition noun
• nontradition noun
• protradition adjective
• traditionist noun
• traditionless adjective

Etymology

Origin of tradition

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English tradicion, from Old French, from Latin trāditiōn- (stem of trāditiō ) “a handing over or down, transfer,” equivalent to trādit(us), past participle of trādere “to give over, impart, surrender, betray” ( trā-, variant of trāns- trans- + -ditus, combining form of datus “given”; date ¹ ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

The regime faces a crisis like never before, Ali M. Ansari explains, and the nation has an 120-year tradition of fighting to establish the rule of law.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is one legacy of the 1906 Constitutional Revolution, which won for Iran a “liberal constitution in the Anglo-American tradition” and established the ideal, if not the practice, of the rule of law.

From The Wall Street Journal

The regime faces a crisis like never before, Ali M. Ansari explains, and the nation has an 120-year tradition of fighting to establish the rule of law.

From The Wall Street Journal

The regime faces a crisis like never before, Ali M. Ansari explains, and the nation has an 120-year tradition of fighting to establish the rule of law.

From The Wall Street Journal

It's known for focusing on traditions of faith and hope - with Christian praise voices delivered through upbeat tempos, clapping choirs and powerful solos.

From BBC

Related Words

• belief
• culture
• custom
• ethic
• folklore
• form
• habit
• heritage
• idea
• institution
• law
• legend
• lore
• myth
• mythology
• orthodoxy
• practice
• ritual
• wisdom