customary
Americanadjective
-
according to or depending on custom; usual; habitual.
- Synonyms:
- regular, common, conventional, accustomed, wonted
- Antonyms:
- uncommon
-
of or established by custom rather than law.
-
Law. defined by long-continued practices.
the customary service due from land in a manor.
noun
-
a book or document containing the legal customs or customary laws of a locality.
-
any body of such customs or laws.
adjective
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in accordance with custom or habitual practice; usual; habitual
-
law
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founded upon long continued practices and usage rather than law
-
(of land, esp a feudal estate) held by custom
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noun
Synonym Usage
See usual.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of customary
First recorded in 1375–1425; 1515–25 for current senses; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin custumārius, customārius, equivalent to costum(i)a, “custom” (also in Vulgar Latin; see custom) + -ārius -ary
Explanation
Something customary is done according to practice. When a bride walks down the aisle, it's customary for everyone at the wedding to rise out of respect. Every culture has its own customary traditions. In American culture it's customary for a child who loses a tooth to put it under her pillow and wait for the Tooth Fairy to arrive. In Greece, on the other hand, it's customary to throw a child's lost tooth onto the roof for good luck. Customary can also reference habitual things a person does, like taking your shoes off when you come home, or writing in your diary before bed.
Vocabulary lists containing customary
"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Six
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Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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"A Walk to the Jetty," Vocabulary from a novel excerpt
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As is customary in the genre, what we think of its protagonists is a subjective question, determined by perspective more than anything else.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
The meeting's minutes, released after the customary delay of three weeks, revealed divisions on the Fed's path forward.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
Law enforcement came aboard the ship while it was docked at Catalina Island on Monday to “collect information,” Leonardi said, a process that she called customary.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
Honeywell said it plans to spin off Honeywell Aerospace on June 29, subject to final approval by its board and other customary conditions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026
Visibly shaken, Lady Isobel called for Beatrice to attend them, and Ash wondered if it was customary in West Riding for the hunt to come in like that, all bloody and fresh from the kill.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
