customary

[ kuhs-tuh-mer-ee ]

/ ˈkʌs təˌmɛr i /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR customary ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

according to or depending on custom; usual; habitual.

of or established by custom rather than law.

Law. defined by long-continued practices: the customary service due from land in a manor.

noun, plural cus·tom·ar·ies.

a book or document containing the legal customs or customary laws of a locality.

any body of such customs or laws.

Nearby words

custom-made, custom-make, custom-order, custom-tailor, customable, customary, customer, customer relationship management, customer's man, customer-facing, customize

Origin of customary

1375–1425; 1515–25 for current senses; late Middle English < Medieval Latin custumārius, customārius, equivalent to costum(i)a custom (also in Vulgar Latin; see custom) + -ārius -ary

SYNONYMS FOR customary

1 wonted, accustomed, conventional, common, regular. See usual.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR customary ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR customary

1 uncommon.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR customary ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

cus·tom·ar·i·ly

[kuhs-tuh-mer-uh-lee; for emphasis, kuhs-tuh-mair-uh-lee] /ˈkʌs təˌmɛr ə li; for emphasis, ˌkʌs təˈmɛər ə li/, adverbnon·cus·tom·ar·i·ly, adverbnon·cus·tom·ar·y, adjectiveun·cus·tom·ar·i·ly, adverb

un·cus·tom·ar·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for customary

“In almost all rural areas of Switzerland, it is customary to eat cats and dogs,” she says.
Will the Swiss Quit Cooking their Kittens and Puppies?|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Such political statements are not customary after a meeting with the president, and Malloy hit back hard.
Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy to Democrats: Grow a Pair|David Freedlander|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In a normal investigation it is customary to release a preliminary report as soon after the event as possible.
Who Gagged the Search for MH370?|Clive Irving|June 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Robertson came out in his customary camo, and told the audience that it was the best suit of clothes he owns.
Duck Dynasty Star Praises Monogamy To Republicans|David Freedlander|May 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It is customary for political campaigns to keep their most forthright views in-house.
Is Britain’s Tea Party Turning Politics Upside Down?|Nico Hines|April 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is a bird of passage, visiting its customary breeding places in the summer and wintering in southern Europe.
Natural History in Anecdote|Various
"Benjamin, come hither," began Mr. Franklin, in his customary solemn and weighty tone.
Biographical Stories|Nathaniel Hawthorne
These offerings were customary also in other churches, and in particular at Paris.
The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome|Charles Michael Baggs
On this account it has been customary to say that the red end of the spectrum was the heating end.
The Telephone|A. E. Dolbear
Now, on the river, it is customary for all who desire inter-tribal palavers to announce their intention loudly and insistently.
Bones|Edgar Wallace

British Dictionary definitions for customary

customary

/ (ˈkʌstəmərɪ, -təmrɪ) /

adjective

in accordance with custom or habitual practice; usual; habitual

law

founded upon long continued practices and usage rather than law
(of land, esp a feudal estate) held by custom

noun plural -aries

a statement in writing of customary laws and practices
a body of such laws and customs

Derived Forms

customarily, adverbcustomariness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012