traditional

American  

[truh-dish-uh-nl] / trəˈdɪʃ ə nl /

Also traditionary

adjective

1. of or relating to beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., handed down from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.

   While in Kyoto I experienced a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

   We use only traditional, time-tested methods to make our wines.

   They gave us a book of traditional stories from the Inuit culture.

   Synonyms:

   established, customary, conventional

2. in accordance with customs or beliefs handed down from generation to generation.

   It is traditional in some cultures for the bride to be given away by her father.

   Synonyms:

   established, customary, conventional

3. designating any of various Indigenous or folk religions that do not have a primary founder, written scriptures, or buildings for public worship, and that revolve around practice, ritual, and ceremony rather than systems of doctrine or belief.

   Many of our First Peoples, especially those living on treaty lands, continue to practice traditional religion.

4. (of a person) adhering or conforming to customs, beliefs, values, etc., handed down from generation to generation; preferring what is old or long established; old-fashioned.

   My mom and dad are very traditional and often clash with modern expectations.

5. of, relating to, or characteristic of the older styles of jazz, especially New Orleans style, Chicago style, Kansas City style, and Dixieland.

---

traditional British  

/ trəˌdɪʃəˈnælɪtɪ, trəˈdɪʃənəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or being a tradition

2. of or relating to the style of jazz originating in New Orleans, characterized by collective improvisation by a front line of trumpet, trombone, and clarinet accompanied by various rhythm instruments

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• quasi-traditional
  adjective
• traditionality
  noun
• antitraditionally
  adverb
• protraditional
  adjective
• traditionally
  adverb
• pretraditional
  adjective
• antitraditional
  adjective
• untraditionally
  adverb
• nontraditionary
  adjective
• semitraditionally
  adverb
• quasi-traditionally
  adverb
• nontraditionally
  adverb
• untraditional
  adjective
• nontraditional
  adjective
• semitraditional
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of traditional

First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin trāditiōnālis; equivalent to tradition + -al ¹

Explanation

Traditional can describe anything that follows tradition, or a usual way of doing things. Traditional Mexican food includes tortillas and beans. A bag of corn chips with chili and fake cheese sauce, on the other hand, is not traditional. A tradition can be personal or national, and the adjective traditional has tons of uses. Traditional football might require a brown pigskin ball or a white soccer ball, depending on where you live. Your traditional national costume could be a sari, while your friend's is a kimono. And that walking taco? It's traditional carnival food for some.

Example Sentences

For some parents, even traditional ways of saving money are no longer as accessible as they once were.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

After working traditional hours for more than 20 years, John D. Connolly realized that wasn’t how he worked best.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

German industrial giant Bosch said Wednesday it will step up efforts in the field of humanoid robotics, as its traditional auto parts business comes under increasing pressure.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Some families may have traditional funerals, while others might opt for a “celebration of life,” which can be a joyous event with music and visuals.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026

They camped out, wore camouflage, and fired traditional rifles for the sport of it.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• classic
• classical
• common
• conventional
• historic
• long-established
• old
• popular
• regular
• time-honored
• universal